Contractual delays have pushed back the expected completion date of the revamped Carl Hansen Student Center to November 2011, according to Associate Vice President for Facilities Administration Joe Rubertone.

Because of the delays, construction may push student organizations and student center employees into temporary trailers during the academic year, Rubertone said.

“We know we have to move them,” Rubertone said. “We have to give them suitable places where they can operate; we’re just not sure where. Construction is a pretty dynamic situation. In a matter of weeks this could change; directions can change.”

Rubertone said construction on the project will begin within the “next few weeks.” Initial delays originated in the contract bidding process.

Quinnipiac first announced in February 2010 that Alumni Hall would be renovated, and construction would begin in the summer to build a student lounge. The estimated completion date, originally set for the beginning of the 2011-2012 academic year, is now November 2011.

The contractor will be working on an “aggressive schedule” to complete the new student center in a year, Rubertone said.

The first floor of the new student center will include a Greek Life section, gallery, media center, TV studio, four meeting rooms and a two-story student lounge with a gas fireplace and small stage for performances.

Students don’t really have a place to hang out on campus, so the new student center lounge will be “Quinnipiac’s living room,” Rubertone said.

“We have certainly spoken to student government at length; they endorse this plan,” Rubertone said. “Dean of students (Manuel Carreiro) endorsed the plan. (Director of the Student Center) Daniel Brown endorsed the plan. We’ve made changes that the people wanted, but architects didn’t want. So at the end of the day here, we think we’ve got a pretty good plan.”

Work Study and student center management offices will fill the administrative office hallway. Some offices from the athletic center will also be moved there, including international affairs.

Approximately half of the second floor will be used to accommodate Quinnipiac’s growing list of student organizations. Since there are so many, Quinnipiac cannot provide them each with an office, so groups will make use of the new shared space in the student organizations area, Rubertone said. Organizations will have meeting space and lockers available for storage.

An area of the upstairs lounge will have commuter lockers and “the game of the day,” with some arcade games, Rubertone said.

The final area will be a 44-seat multi-purpose room with a large projection screen.

Along with construction comes more blue tarp. The construction fences and blue tarps will encircle Alumni Hall, again blocking one of the two walkways in the Quad leading to Tator Hall.

“We did it last year because of the construction,” sophomore Joe Mauti said. “So it won’t be too bad, maybe a little of an inconvenience, but nothing major.”

Photo credit: Marcus Harun