A large construction fence at 39th Street and Locust Walk has become an obstruction for residents entering and exiting the high rises, raising complaints about the fact that the project was not completed over the summer.
The fence, which covers the area between Harrison and Hamilton college houses, encloses an area where landscaping is being done.
New paths will be put in between the buildings and in front of Harrison, connecting the building to Locust Walk. Trees and new grass will also be planted to improve the scenery and counteract the notorious wind-tunnel effects in the area.
Officials estimate that the landscaping should be done by about December.
Director of Design and Construction for Facilities and Real Estate Services Darrin Reazor said that the fall is the optimal time for landscaping that includes planting trees and grass. Fall is less hot than summer, allowing plants to survive.
The landscaping is also being done at this time because the space was used to store equipment and materials during construction on the high rises this summer, Reazor said.
Dean of Harrison College House Frank Pellicone said that while the problems posed by the fence and construction are not significant, he does not understand why construction cannot be completed while residents are away.
"The general consensus is that it would have been nice if they could have waited," Pellicone said, adding that "when it is done, people will be glad that it is done."
The construction is part of the last phase of the upgrades of the three high rises, which were completed for the most part over the summer. Construction included painting each building's exterior and adding new furniture to rooms. Harnwell College House is the last of the three high-rise buildings to be renovated, a project that cost about $80 million.
The fence surrounding the current project requires residents of Harrison to walk around the fence to access Locust Walk. For some, the fence, as well as the noise caused by construction, has been a bother that must be accounted for on a daily basis.
On "the lower floors and computer lab, you can actually hear [the construction]," College junior and Harrison resident Apryle Horbal said, adding that this makes studying difficult.
In addition to the noise caused by the project, Horbal said that she has to leave five minutes earlier for each class to walk around the fence.
Other Harrison residents also said that the fence has been bothersome.
The fence is "a nuisance when I'm walking to my classes," College freshman and Harrison resident Jeremy Stuter said. However, Stuter added that it is a negligible problem.
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