As Measure E construction continues, students and faculty are learning to deal with ongoing construction while planners attempt to reduce the everyday affects on the environment, handicap access, and comfort levels.
Although the construction will continue to cause short-term environmental problems such as reduced air quality and dust, people are more hopeful for the energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly buildings planned for the new science wing than bothered by the current annoyances of construction.
“There’s always going to be the day-to-day impacts, when you are bringing in tractors and bulldozers
Before planning the construction, the school was required to file an Environmental Impact Report, a standard legal document assessing all possible impacts of the construction, from wildflower endangerment and flood control to traffic consequences and noise issues.
After plans were made to alleviate all major problems, the Board of Trustees approved the report.
De Anza’s mitigation plans include planting new trees for every tree destroyed by construction and managing construction schedules as to bother the least amount of people during any time period.
For example, contractors attempted to complete the noisiest projects before fall quarter began, particularly in the P.E. Quad.
“It was pretty noisy during the summertime, but it appears as though the construction has gotten beyond the jackhammer phase now,” said IIS instructor and offensive line coach Eb Hunter. “The noise and the dust subsided just when school began.”
Starting July 2003, construction will begin to add a parking deck to Parking Lot C, causing the De Anza Flea Market to move from its usual spot in Lots B and C to a new home in Lots A and B. Casey Dick, DASB Special Events Coordinator, estimates that 300 vendor stalls will be lost from the move and revenues will decrease by $70,000-80,000 per year.
In addition, the Bus Transit Center may occupy another 100 vendor stall spaces, further decreasing revenues for the DASB. Although nobody is sure how long the relocation will last, the DASB remains cooperative.
“We understand that [the construction] will be a tough thing for everybody involved but we are not fighting it. We are working for it,” said Dick. “The students are just going to have to tighten their belts a little bit, unfortunately.”
Campus Services must also regulate and minimize the effects of construction on handicap access.
“When we have a construction project coming up, like the big science center project, we meet with the Disabled Student Services to discuss pathways of travel, in terms of where handicapped students might be traveling, and then they put out notices to their students that will talk about what is happening on the pathways and how they can overcome barriers,” said Brandy.
“The college has always been very responsive of our needs,” said Bennita Rashall, coordinator of Disability Support Services.
Recently, Campus Services implemented a shuttle service to help handicapped students get around campus and added a number of handicapped parking spots in Lot B to lessen students’ inconveniences during construction.
Although most are not involved in the orchestration of the project, students have also noticed the everyday inconveniences of the construction.
“The school is so focused on the new buildings that they forget the old. For example, the plumbing in the chemistry labs is ridiculous; either water doesn’t come out at all or it comes out everywhere. But nobody will bother to fix it because they are tearing the building down in a couple of years anyway,” said student Danielle Lemay.
“The construction is only a problem when they tar the roofs. Somehow the smell permeates throughout the whole building, making it almost impossible to breathe. It’s pretty disgusting,” said student Shannon Crouch.
