The timeline for the Arjona-Monteith project has changed again, this time in response to a temporary hold Gov. M. Jodi Rell put on the building fund the university would ordinarily get in 2010.
The university had originally hoped to get $140 million for construction projects, but was told the state might not grant that request, said Jim Bradley, associate vice president for Architectural and Engineering Services.
"We have to take that into consideration and reorganize the program because we can't build if we don't have money," Bradley said. "We can only build as fast as we get the money."
The Arjona-Monteith replacement project is part of the UConn 2000 program, which was approved by the legislature in 1995, Bradley said. The program is a $2.3 billion, 20-year state investment, according to its official Web page.
Although the timeline for the project will change, the overall budget will stay the same, said Alexandria Roe, director of planning and program development for Architectural and Engineering Services (AES).
"We haven't changed the overall budget for the project," Roe said. "We are trying to escalate the drawings so we can start the project sooner. We're working very diligently toward that."
According to Bradley, the UConn 2000 projects are set in stone.
"The university doesn't really have control over these projects," Bradley said. "It can't change the projects."
Under this program, the Arjona and Monteith buildings will be replaced by two new classroom buildings. As a result of the hold, instead of both buildings being built at the same time, the classroom and lecture hall building, which will be located between the Center for Undergraduate Education (CUE) and the Student Union, will be built first.
"Working with the registrar's office, there was a clear determination that what they needed more was new classrooms," Bradley said.
According to Roe, the building will be built starting in October or November. The second building, which will go up on Dow Field between Hawley Armory and the Homer Babbidge Library, will be built as soon as the first is finished, she said.
"We're in the construction design phase for both buildings," Roe said. "For the west buildings, drawings are due at the end of July. For the other building, drawings are due at the end of October."
Roe said that AES has appealed to the Office of Policy and Management for additional funds and, if approved, will start the second building next spring.
"I believe the chief financial officer is in the process of saying we'd like to start that building this time next year," Roe said. "If we do that, that means it's back to the original schedule."
The UConn 2000 program is funded mainly by bonds that the state and university sells to the public. The university sells about $100 million worth of bonds every year to keep the program going and will be aiming for $150 million in bond funds next month, but the governor wants to hold off on this.
"The university has a good rating, so there should be no problem in selling those bonds," Bradley said.
The university is hoping to get $105 million more in January or February of 2010. The money will cover many of UConn's construction projects, including the first of the two new classroom buildings, Bradley said.
Michelle.Firestone@UConn.edu
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