De Neve structures not likely to be ready in fall

  DANIEL WONG Long Nguyen, of the Berger
construction company, forklifts materials in the De Neve Plaza,
which is still undergoing construction after several delays,
pushing it months behind schedule.

By Marion Wise
Daily Bruin Contributor

Construction of the remaining two housing structures of De Neve
Plaza will likely not be completed in time to house students next
fall, officials said.

While students have occupied four of De Neve’s six
residential buildings since the beginning of this academic year,
construction workers continue working on the podium building, which
will include a computer lab, dining and lecture halls, and two
housing complexes.

“The (podium), we are hoping, will be completed sometime
this fall or early winter,” said Brad Erickson, director of
Campus Service Enterprises and project manager for the plaza.

“I hope they are occupied (next fall), but we’re not
counting on it,” he continued.

Director of Housing and Hospitality Services Michael Foraker
said if the podium is not finished by the beginning of the next
school year, they will still attempt to house students when
construction is complete ““ even if it means a mid-year
move-in.

“We’ll do everything we can to make that available
as soon as we have reasonable assurance it’s finished and
ready to be occupied,” Foraker said.

Erickson could not specify causes of delay to the project,
because of disputes between UCLA and the contractor, Obayashi
Corporation/R-Obashi on the matter. UCLA is being advised by Glen
Fichman of Campus Counsel, who said the dispute is under review and
could potentially result in a lawsuit.

“I’m not at liberty to speak about matters of
dispute other than to say there were multiple causes of
delay,” Erickson said. “The matter is a significant
dispute between the university and the contractor.”

The opening of the remainder of De Neve has already been
accounted for in budget planning for the coming school year. This
was one of several factors in the recent housing rate hike.

“We’re anticipating that we will have the podium
building available sometime in this fiscal year. Then we’ll
need to have the building fully staffed,” Erickson said.

The matter is of great concern to students planning to live on
campus next year, as the housing application process begins April
25.

“I’m basing living on De Neve next year, trusting
that dining will be done, because I currently have to walk to
Rieber,” said De Neve resident Mandy Whiting, a first-year
undeclared student.

De Neve Plaza, which currently houses approximately 900
students, will have room for about 370 additional residents once
the podium and its connected housing is complete. The opening of
the 850-seat dining hall will mainly serve residents of Dykstra
Hall and De Neve.

According to Erickson, work currently being done on the building
dates as far back as fall 1998, and was originally intended to be
finished by January 2000.

“The superstructure, which is the bones of the building,
are completed,” Erickson said. “They are currently
working on the skin and roof of the building. We anticipate that in
four to eight weeks, they will be complete.”

In addition, workers completed the landscaping surrounding the
occupied housing structures winter quarter.

As for the delays, Erickson said this winter’s unusually
heavy rains had little effect.

“The rain had some impact, but I don’t believe it
was a major impact. I believe there were other factors,” he
said.

But the construction has still been a matter of inconvenience to
many students. Some, like first-year undeclared student Blair
Warner, still complain about the effects of the work.

“They show up around seven in the morning and start
hammering and banging,” said Warner, a Dykstra Hall resident.
“It’s gotten better now that they have the walls up,
but it’s still not pleasant.”

“Especially during 10th week and finals week, there was a
lot of construction and landscaping,” Whiting said.

TIMELINE OF DE NEVE PLAZA CONSTRUCTION SOURCE:
Brad Erickson, director of Campus Enterprises and project manager
for De Neve Plaza, Daily Bruin Archives Original graphic by MAGGIE
WOO/Daily Bruin Web adaptation by CHRISTINE TAN/Daily Bruin