Pomona College’s construction projects on North and South Campus are both currently on schedule after a three-month delay to the South Campus plan. The two projects are on track to be completed by March 2011.
The delay to the South Campus project was a result of difficulties in obtaining approvals from the City of Claremont regarding the South Campus Parking Structure, said Head of Campus Development Karen Sisson.
“The City asked for additional traffic studies and required us to make infrastructure improvements along First Street that we had not planned for,” Sisson said.
Sisson added that Pomona will be searching for ways to transition existing campus parking into the structure to create more pedestrian zones, while remaining accomodating of the special circumstances of some parkers, particularly those with disabilities.
“The goal of this parking structure is to use the 630 spaces to allow us to create a more pedestrian friendly campus, while providing ample safe parking for those of us who bring cars to campus,” she said.
Since discussions about use of the parking structure are just beginning, the specifics of it use are not yet clear; however, Sisson predicted that professors and staff may be impacted.
“Pomona is currently blessed with ample parking near its buildings that is extremely convenient,” Sisson said. “If we want to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment, some professors and staff may be walking a bit further than we do currently.”
In addition to the construction already underway, Pomona will begin discussions regarding additional parking with various constituencies in the next few months.
The project on North Campus has been steadily on track since construction began on the new dormitories—Sontag Hall and Building B—which will eventually house 150 students.The daily construction hours are expected to stay the same; however, Sisson said the college does its best to be sensitive to students’ specific complaints about noise levels.
Some students, however, expressed doubts about Pomona’s choice to build the new dorms now.
“I think this is an example of Pomona putting its money in the wrong places … when there are other, more pertinent issues at the moment,” Katie Taylor PO ’12 said.