2008 Woodie Awards
Life with construction
By: Beth Prusaczyk
Issue date: 12/8/05 Section: News
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The Webster Village Apartments (WVA) now has three construction projects to surround it with noise and detours, but officials and residents are trying to make the best of it.
Just south of the WVA, construction companies have been hard at work on the new dorms set to open fall 2006. The construction of the new Community Music School is also underway directly across the street from the Webster Village Apartments. That means residents of Webster Village are being hit from all sides.
Resident Timothy Merritt, a junior majoring in photography, said the early morning construction has been the worst part.
"Between the hammering and the machinery running at a constant, morning sleep after 7:00 a.m. is rarely undisturbed," Merritt said.
Fellow WVA resident Beth Blumfelder, a sophomore majoring in art history, agreed.
"The streetlight construction, which is over now, was the most inconvenient for me. They would wake me up early everyday for about two weeks," said Blumfelder, who lives in Building 1.
WVA managing director Holland Saltsman said most of the construction took place when students were not around.
"They tried to get as much big, loud work done this summer as to not be such a burden on the residents but I know, at times, Buildings 4 and 5 have still had to deal with some noise issues," Saltsman said.
Gabe Bullard, a junior broadcast journalism major who lives in Building 6, said he doesn't even notice the noise anymore.
"It hasn't affected my day to day life at all," Bullard said.
Another issue residents have complained about is parking. Although a new parking lot was built between Buildings 5 and 6, the apartments have 30 or 40 spaces less than last year.
Because of this, Saltsman said she asked public safety if residents could use their permits for the parking garage as well, so there would always be somewhere to park.
"There have been a lot of complaints about residents not being able to park directly in front of their buildings," Saltsman said. "But I've never heard of anyone not finding a space at all between our lot and the garage."
Just south of the WVA, construction companies have been hard at work on the new dorms set to open fall 2006. The construction of the new Community Music School is also underway directly across the street from the Webster Village Apartments. That means residents of Webster Village are being hit from all sides.
Resident Timothy Merritt, a junior majoring in photography, said the early morning construction has been the worst part.
"Between the hammering and the machinery running at a constant, morning sleep after 7:00 a.m. is rarely undisturbed," Merritt said.
Fellow WVA resident Beth Blumfelder, a sophomore majoring in art history, agreed.
"The streetlight construction, which is over now, was the most inconvenient for me. They would wake me up early everyday for about two weeks," said Blumfelder, who lives in Building 1.
WVA managing director Holland Saltsman said most of the construction took place when students were not around.
"They tried to get as much big, loud work done this summer as to not be such a burden on the residents but I know, at times, Buildings 4 and 5 have still had to deal with some noise issues," Saltsman said.
Gabe Bullard, a junior broadcast journalism major who lives in Building 6, said he doesn't even notice the noise anymore.
"It hasn't affected my day to day life at all," Bullard said.
Another issue residents have complained about is parking. Although a new parking lot was built between Buildings 5 and 6, the apartments have 30 or 40 spaces less than last year.
Because of this, Saltsman said she asked public safety if residents could use their permits for the parking garage as well, so there would always be somewhere to park.
"There have been a lot of complaints about residents not being able to park directly in front of their buildings," Saltsman said. "But I've never heard of anyone not finding a space at all between our lot and the garage."