Construction set for summer

Preparations for major construction in front of Garland Hall and Levering Hall are underway so that the Master Plan's second phase of development can begin immediately following Commencement.

Construction plans include a brick wall around Garland Hall, a grassy plaza in front of Garland and Levering, and new brick walkways, iron lamp posts and wood benches. The construction area is bounded by Gilman Hall to the north, Latrobe Hall to the east, Garland Hall to the south and Hodson Hall to the west.

According to Steve Campbell, director of Planning and Project Development, completion of the area in front of Garland Hall and Levering Union is slated for Labor Day so that most of the construction will be completed by the time students return to campus. During construction, fencing will prohibit pedestrian traffic through the area.

Levering Hall and Garland Hall will remain open during the construction but administrators say that there will be some changes in how to access the buildings. Access to Garland Hall will be through the south entrance.

"How to get in [to Levering Union] may be different," said Jane Rhyner, director of Levering Union. "We may have to use the back door."

Dean of Students Susan Boswell and the Office of the Dean of Student Affairs are scheduled to move from Shriver Hall to Levering Union in June. They will occupy the current Levering Student Life office space and the Levering office will move to the space previously occupied by Kawasaki.

Levering will also remain open for conferences. However, the building will not hold wedding receptions this summer.

"Usually we have about 12-15 weddings every summer that average about $1,000 per event, " said Rhyner. "It's going to be such a mess that it's not going to be an inviting area."

Patricia Palmer, Director of Summer Programs, said that construction in front of Levering Union will also affect the pre-college program which hosts high school students on campus for a summer session term.

"We have a lot of activities in the Glass Pavilion," said Palmer. "It won't be the ideal location this year as it has been in years past. We may have to relocate our final banquet."

Palmer also said that the construction makes it harder for her to sell high school students on Johns Hopkins.

"It makes it harder for them to visualize the campus without the construction," said Palmer.

While some offices and activities will be required to alter their normal activities this summer due to the construction, the Office of Purchasing will be able to test out their new, permanent system for making campus deliveries.

Currently under construction is a service road behind Hodson Hall that will allow deliveries to buildings on the southwest end of campus to take place.

"The road behind Hodson Hall is due to be completed before commencement," said Zimmer.

"In the past it's been a free for all. People park on the curbs, on the streets and on the grass," said Judy Zimmer, Associate Director of the Office of Purchasing. "We have built an off-site transfer station south of campus where all deliveries will be made. Deliveries will be transferred on the same day by University employees to designated spots and then hand carted to buildings."

Zimmer says that the new delivery process will require a larger staff but that it will be safer and add to the pedestrian-friendly atmosphere that the Master Plan seeks to achieve on campus.