Buildings are being erected, additions are being made, closed road signs are appearing and parking spaces are dwindling.
Ware Rhaney, the pharmacy building and Coleman library are getting facelifts.
The School of Business and Industry is adding yet another wing. The School of Journalism and Graphic Communications is breaking free of Tucker Hall andbuilding its own facility. And in less than 12 months construction will begin on a recreation center.
All of these projects, except for the recreation center should be to be completed in a little over a year’s time, according to Sam Huston, director of university planning and construction.
“Current construction will be completed in about 14 to 16 months,” Huston said.
He also said that a portion of the campus has limited access, which is the corner of Palmer Road going south to the Student Union building.
Also, with the addition of buildings, roads must be closed for a certain time so as not to disrupt construction.
“Only one road will be closed during construction, that’s the road between Gamble at the corner of Wahnish Way and Orr Drive – that’s the drive that leads up to the library,” Huston said. It will be closed for at least 14 months.
According to Huston, there may also be temporary closure of roads. For example, Martin Luther King Way is temporarily closed while water is being connected to the pharmacy building.
“But within a week’s time, MLK will be up and running,” he said.
Though traffic may seem a bit more hectic to some on campus, Director of
Parking Services John Kirby said he has not “seen a significant increase in congestion thus far.”
“I think when construction gets into full swing, it may be a little bit more active,” he said.
Assistant Chief of FAMU police John Erst agrees.
“I think that people have adjusted to accommodate the projects and they are maneuvering changing their routes or making adjustments too – if it means not being to park in as close proximity as they have in the past,” Erst said. “
And they are taking measures to improvise – time wise, that is – to allow for them to walk to get to that facility.”
In addition to closing roads and parts of the campus, changes in parking have also been implemented. Parking officials are now on duty until 10 p.m.
Even though Kirby says students can park outside their assigned lots after 7 p.m., ticketing for parking violations never ceases. According to Erst, these violations include obstructing emergency lanes and traffic flow or parking in an area designated for no parking.
“Ticketing occurs seven days a week, 24 hours a day,” Kirby said. “The police department also tickets. Just because (parking officials) go home at 10, doesn’t mean the ticketing stops.”
Plans for three new parking lots on campus are also in the
“We are building some parking spaces as part of the rec center. We have identified an area north of Truth Hall. And we will also add parking spaces off of FAMU Way,” Huston said.
Neither Huston nor Kirby know whom these parking lots will be designated for as of yet.