Current and future construction projects are happening around the BYU–Hawaii campus with changes to the Cafeteria, the General Classroom Building (GCB), the tennis court and field adjacent to the McKay Gymnasium.
“I think the projects will definitely help the school in the long term,” said Jarom Perandos, a sophomore from the Philippines majoring in psychology. “The cafeteria will be nice and bigger, and with other areas around campus being improved, it will definitely make the school better. The students now may feel affected, but it will help the students and school for the future.”
Information on construction projects around campus
According to orangecone.byuh.edu, the designs have been completed for the new cafeteria. Phased demolition of the current cafeteria is projected to start in the 2019 Fall Semester to prepare construction. The new cafeteria is projected to be completed at the end of 2021.
Another change happening on campus is the General Classroom Building (GCB), which was closed earlier in the year and will be demolished in the 2019 Fall Semester. A new science and math building will be constructed in its place, with construction beginning later this year. This project is scheduled to be completed in Spring/Summer 2021, according to orangecone.byuh.edu.
The Church owned Special Projects Department oversees construction projects such as temples and other high value Church owned sites. Derek Muir, an intern for the department, explained the timelines for the projects are dependent on the lengthy process of obtaining permits from the City and County of Honolulu.
Changes are taking place to the tennis court adjacent to the McKay Gymnasium, beginning July 2019 and will be completed and reopened for use in September 2019. Fencing is the major change to the tennis court, according to Muir.
Muir also said the field located behind the McKay Gymnasium, often used for rugby and soccer, will be replaced with AstroTurf (artificial grass) in the coming semester.
Additionally, a new Micro Market will be located in Hale 1 on the northwest corner, directly across from the Health Center. According to orangecone.byuh.edu, items for sale will include groceries and toiletries. More updates on this project will be available in the coming months, explained Muir.
Reactions from students on the construction projects
Perandos said, “I know there are a few things going on, they are making the cafeteria bigger, and changing the GCB. I know what the purpose is, but I don’t understand why it takes so long. Although, I don’t see it as a burden because they made temporary classroom buildings.
“I think they could put signs around the construction sites with timelines and a description, this could help particularly newer students so they are informed. “
Edmond Saksak, a sophomore from Vanuatu majoring in political science and social work, said, “I don’t think students are being informed well enough what’s been going on with the construction projects. We don’t really hear much about what’s happening and as a student, I ask myself when I see projects pop up, ‘What’s happening here?’”
For more information on projects happening around the BYUH campus, students can click here for an updated list of ongoing and future projects.