The opening of Hammes Mowbray Hall, the new home of Notre Dame Security/Police and the Notre Dame post office, marks a milestone for on-campus construction, but it is not the only project underway.While students enjoyed time off over the holidays, construction crews continued work on many projects at both Notre Dame and Saint Mary's.One of the biggest projects currently in progress is the Guglielmino Family Athletics Center, located east of Rolfs Sports Recreation Center. According to the Department of Development Web site, this $21.25 million, 95,840-square-foot facility will contain services for varsity athletes, including a new 25,000-square-foot strength and conditioning center. Jim Lyphout, vice president for business operations, said the construction of the athletic center is on schedule."Everything's going according to schedule. It will be open for occupancy in July," Lyphout said.The old NDSP and post office facilities will also be turned into temporary homes for other campus buildings, he said. "They will be remodeled to accommodate the student health center and counseling center," Lyphout said.Lyphout said that use of these buildings will begin after graduation in May. The buildings that currently house Health Services and the counseling center will undergo a one-year renovation process beginning July 1, he said. He did not indicate what will be done with the old NDSP and post office buildings once the counseling center and health center move back into their original buildings.Though the athletic facility is unfinished as of now, athletes began using the center in December. Freshman Brittany Glynn, a member of the softball team said the new facility is an upgrade."You can still hear the jackhammer and everything but it's better than the old facility," she said.Many student-athletes are particularly excited about their state-of-the-art weight room, Glynn said."The new weight room is in. It's beautiful. It's huge," she said.Construction on the Jordan Hall of Science, which will house new undergraduate lab space, two 250-seat lecture halls, a 150-seat multi-visualization room, an observatory, and many teaching labs, is also on schedule."It is going very well," Lyphout said. "It will be ready for occupancy in July of 2006."Crews are also busily working at Saint Mary's on the new Student Center. College spokeswoman Melanie MacDonald said the center will be completed around spring break.
pleahy@nd.edu
