Hard not to notice the large fencing covered in the blue tarp that has covered a large portion of our school but although it serves the greater purpose of our school, I can’t help but wonder if is it more of an inconvenience on my daily tasks and routines. The construction Hampton University President Darrell K. Williams has put in place has been going on since mid-November and has since only expanded across campus. In addition to projects, President Williams has set up some of his top priorities within his first 120 Days that includes the expansion of the campus museum that cost a total roughly 4.1 million dollars; which I believe is a good initiative to implement with the historic museum already being such a gem to visit. It is nice to see that our new president is invested in other outlets such as the arts. From what I have seen, the museum has already made great progress since the beginning of the school year, even though there is no clear date for its ground-breaking.
However, there are some not-so-exciting projects also in the works that have gotten in the way of students’ routine paths to get to school and even cut off space for students to park. Coming firsthand as someone that is staying at Winona Hall next to one of the busiest parking lots, Lot 21. The hub where students with or without parking stickers and professors park, as well as also being the meeting point for many other campus events. It is a recognizable space, however, the construction has cut the number of spaces in half. Not to mention the loud sirens of construction trucks backing up at 7 in the morning. It has become a noise disturbance that we all have to endure in some way or another. Frustrating to find a spot already before but now become impossible, forcing students to park on the streets either in illegal zones or far from their dorms and still at risk of being ticketed or towed. It seems like a lose-lose situation when the construction zone seems like it’s getting bigger and bigger by the day; which includes the expansion of construction in front of MLK Hall. Being that although it is not the main door to the building, it is the most accessible. So blocking it off, even more, has become a lot more stressful; adding an extra 3 mins onto the walk to class in heavier than normal foot traffic when 50+ students are trying to get to class all in the same building through the one available door.
Lot 21 and in front of MLK Hall was only the beginning of this grueling project. When I first saw these fences with the sign “for purposes to update campus infrastructure”, seemed a little vague but delivered it was gonna be a quick maintenance update that was going to take a few weeks and at the most be over by the time we came back from winter break. But no it only expanded across the street to the front of Phenix Hall; which is known for being a notorious shortcut s to get through the Student Center but not anymore. The “infrastructure improvements” in front of MLK Hall have not only blocked the side door but have fully connected to Phenix Hall; cutting off shortcuts pass through the early childhood development center, the path between the library and tennis courts, and even the small sliver of land in the parking lot next to the library next to the nursing building.
The construction has stretched so far that it has shocked individuals waking up in the morning trying to get to class and met with massive barriers. No warning, just the noises of trucks barreling down the main drag. Adding 5-10 mins onto a walk that would normally take a student 10 mins or less. The construction has been inconvenient in the most destructive way possible. The amount of frustration I have personally felt especially during the add/drop period; having to run between the different academic buildings is insane.
I understand with the construction comes unfamiliarity. Improvements to the school will in the end benefit us as students while promoting President Williams’ main goal to Deliver the #1 Student Experience in America. However, is this too great of a cost when it impedes the daily life of a student? Having to reroute, change routines, and adjust to the new normal for the time being when it is such an inconvenience? All I hope is that by the time I graduate, this upcoming May, this will only be just a distant memory.