Excavation on the site of Webster University’s new Interdisciplinary Science Building (ISB) is set to begin on May 5.
The university and its construction company partner, Paric Corporation, were awaiting a final building permit that would allow dirt removal to begin at the location of the new building, which will be located north of the East Academic Building. Webster announced May 4 the university had received the permit and would begin construction the following day.
The university officially broke ground on the ISB Sept. 9, and workers began preparations such as staking the site March 30.
The construction on campus has limited student parking; Lot L is currently closed and parts of Lot K are blocked off.
“Large trucks will enter and exit Lot K between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday for the next month to pick up loads of dirt and rock for disposal. Approximately 21,000 cubic yards of dirt will be removed,” the university news release said.
The release offered several tips for avoiding parking problems on campus, such as biking or walking to the university, looking for available spaces on the top floors of the Garden Park Plaza parking garage and leaving early for campus in order to avoid traffic. The construction project will include an expansion of the parking garage.
The release also warned that there will be more noise than usual on campus during this phase of construction, as well as more dust in the air due to the removal of dirt.
Webster’s president Elizabeth Stroble and provost Julian Schuster have stated the goal of the ISB is to provide a home for STEAMM; or science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and medicine programs. Many science facilities are currently located at Webster Hall, which was built in 1916.
The full cost of the ISB project is estimated at around $44 million and has an expected completion date of July 2017.