Plan changes could delay projects on west side of AU campus

First comes food, then comes housing at Auburn University.

Original plans for construction on the west side of campus called for a new dining hall to be finished by the fall of 2009, just as construction of the new Village residence halls would be complete. However, now it looks like the dining facility will be finished a year before the residence halls.

John Mouton, senior adviser to the president, told members of the Board of Trustees’ Property and Facilities Committee Wednesday how he had difficulty getting a reasonable bid for the second phase of the multi-million dollar housing project.

White-Spunner Construction of Mobile is currently working on the first phase — three buildings with 740 beds for $45 million — on the west side of campus. Mouton said he received one bid for the second phase — five buildings with 964 beds for $54 million — but it was over budget by $8 million. Since negotiations with the sole bidder failed, the committee agreed to rebid immediately, but in two separate phases — 648 beds by fall 2009 and 319 beds by 2010 — in an effort to get it under budget.

If the process doesn’t work, Mouton said they can rebid the project with all 964 beds in the fall. It would still have a completion date of fall 2010.

Committee members agreed to move forward with the dining hall schematic design, as presented by Williams-Blackstock Architects of Birmingham, but only after discussing if the $14 million facility would be big enough. Seating capacity is 650, with 150 seats specifically for the dietary needs of student-athletes, but Trustee Bobby Lowder wasn’t satisfied, especially with its location to a new basketball arena and Jordan-Hare Stadium.

He was pleased to hear a “mezzanine level” could be added, if they so choose. Both the dining hall and the Village are expedited projects so the committee can make decisions without full board consent. Mouton said the idea would not only cost more money for the dining hall, but it would delay its completion.

The committee will get to discuss both projects again at its April 24 meeting.

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