Dropping temperatures and bitter winds have caused delays in the construction of the Nanofabrication and Molecular Self Assembly Building.

“We’ve run into some weather problems,” said Quentin Bruhn, a senior project manager at Facilities Management. Bruhn said harsh weather conditions and delays in getting the construction contract awarded have pushed the project’s completion date back about two months, to March 2002.

The later completion date means prolonging the detours and sidewalk closures required by the project, prompting anger and frustration among some students.

“It’s such a pain to have to walk around the construction,” said Jenn Toh, a Weinberg sophomore taking classes at the Technological Institute this quarter. “They have no signs for pedestrians, and people have to walk through bushes. It’s just kind of confusing.”

Construction began with the demolition of the Vogelback Computing Center in November 1999, but construction of the new building did not begin until October 2000.

“We have to walk through the mud, and it’s really frustrating trying to get to SPAC,” said Emily Methangkool, a Weinberg freshman.

Hansa Sawlani said she felt uneasy about the heavy machinery kept close to the detours.

“The construction just upsets me,” said Sawlani, a Weinberg junior. “I’m always late to class.”

Bruhn said blocking the pedestrian walkway leading to Tech was unavoidable.

“Because of the foundation work being so close to the western pedestrian walkway near Nano, that path has been eliminated until the foundation and the first floor is completed,” he said.

In addition, the pathways had to be removed to put in new electrical, gas and water lines.

Facilities Management established pedestrian detours through the Shakespeare Garden and east of the Materials and Life Sciences Building. But Bruhn said efforts to mark the pedestrian paths have been thwarted by the theft of detour signs.

“We keep putting up pedestrian signs and people keep stealing them, and that’s an ongoing problem we’re dealing with,” he said.

The new building will be used for research in nanofabrication technology, said Joe Hupp, a professor of chemistry and chairman of the building committee.

“It will be primarily for research but also teaching, in the sense that Ph.D. students will be doing their dissertation research,” Hupp said. “Undergrad students will be involved in doing research projects there, but there won’t be any other classroom teaching in the building.”

The western pedestrian walkway near the new building will open in August at the earliest, said Bruhn. The remaining walkways will not reopen until the project is completed.

But not all NU students are bothered by the detours.

“I’m fascinated by the construction,” said Ross Habif, a Speech sophomore. “It’s constantly changing – I’m a big fan.”