There are currently 11 construction projects still active at the University of Connecticut, nine of which are at the Storrs campus.
“The most active projects right now are the Athletics District improvements, the Gant Science Complex renovations and planning for the Northwest Science Quad, but there are also several smaller miscellaneous projects at Storrs and elsewhere,” UConn spokesperson Stephanie Reitz said.
The current projects amount to about $242 million in cost, all of which has been approved by the Board of Trustees.
The Gant Building renovation makes up a bulk of the $242 million, with an estimated total project cost of $89 million, according to the UConn Planning, Design and Construction quarterly report from the second quarter of 2019. This project is in the second phase, and it is expected to be completed in the winter of 2021.
The second most expensive project is the athletic district development, with an estimated total project cost of $84.4 million. The entire project is expected to be completed in March of 2021, the report said. In the meantime, the report said that baseball fields will be ready for play in March of 2020, soccer fields will be ready for play in August of 2020, and the new performance center will be “substantially complete” by November of 2020, with “beneficial occupancy” in January of 2021.
Other projects include the Fine Arts renovation (expected completion January of 2020, $34.1 million total estimated cost), Central Utility Plant and Pumping Project (expected completion April of 2020, $17.4 million estimated total cost) and infrastructure improvements to the south east section of campus, namely Shippee and Buckley residence halls (expected completion November of 2019, $4.7 million estimated total cost).
“While construction definitely causes minor inconveniences from time to time, it’s nothing that impacts me in a major way,” third-semester marketing major Ashley Brown said. “Most of UConn’s recent projects are things that benefit all students, from Werth Residences, to the new Rec Center, to the new Gant academic buildings. I’d rather see my tuition money going towards assets like those than things that I can’t reap the benefits of — even if it adds on a few extra minutes to my walk to class.”
Since the quarter two report was released, 17 of the 28 total projects have been completed: Most importantly, the new student recreation center.
The 2019 quarter three report will be released Sept. 30, Reitz said.
Luke Hajdasz is a staff writer for The Daily Campus. He can be reached via email at luke.hajdasz@uconn.edu.