Students who have stuck around for spring and summer may have noticed a few more orange cones and the plethora of construction projects that have popped up all over BYU as the university works on renovating or rebuilding several different areas around campus.
The following is a list of recently finished, currently ongoing and future construction projects at BYU:
Recently Finished
BYU Bookstore:
Students returning in the fall will notice some slight changes to the Bookstore. The main floor has been redesigned, adding more room for retail items while some bookshelves and cash register stations have been removed or relocated.
Current
Campus Drive:
One of the most obvious construction projects on campus has been the renovation of Campus Drive. Drivers have navigated the area detours over the summer as crews have worked to improve the intersection at Bulldog Boulevard and Campus Drive.
“This project is in its last phase and will be finished by the end of the summer,” BYU Media Relations Manager Todd Hollingshead said. “When school starts in the fall, with the traffic that comes with the new semester, the roads will be ready.”
Crews moved the intersection slightly to the east and added a median on West Campus Drive while entrances and exits of the parking lot north of the Jesse Knight Building were redesigned to allow easier pick-up and drop-off next to the University Police office. A pedestrian walkway from the Smoot Administration Building to the Hinckley Center will also be added.
Y Mountain:
In March, BYU announced the finalized purchase of 81 acres of land on Y Mountain and their plans to renovate parts of the Y and the surrounding trail. In June, students noticed the Y started looking a little different as crews began reparations and electrical work. New permanent lights were installed around the edge of the Y to make it easier to light for campus events and the surface of the Y was repainted.
According to BYU Campus News Manager Emily Hellewell, “repairs were (also) made to the Y Mountain trail itself and a mixture of dirt and gravel … is being laid down to smooth the trail and improve the hiking experience. This work is about 85 percent complete. Additional parking is also being added. We expect that work to be completed in the next four to six weeks.”
Marriott Center Annex:
BYU broke ground on this new practice facility for the men’s and women’s basketball programs in November 2015. The facility will connect to the east end of the Marriott Center and will replace the road between the Marriott and the BYU Broadcasting Building. The facility will be a replica of the Marriott Center but will also include training rooms, offices, team lounges, study areas and a hall of honor dedicated to the history of BYU basketball.
“The basketball teams will be able to start practicing in the facility in late October or early November,” Hellewell said.
Harman Building:
Construction began at the end of June on an addition to the Caroline Hemenway Harman Building, which houses BYU’s Continuing Education division.
“The 110,000 square foot expansion will include office space, event space, an atrium, a call center, testing center and rooms for tutoring,” BYU announced in an email to faculty and staff.
The addition is expected to be completed by the end of 2017.
BYU Engineering Building:
For the past three years, BYU has anticipated the groundbreaking of BYU’s new $80 million engineering building. On May 9, 2016, that anticipation became reality.
“The new engineering building has been completely funded by donors,” Hollingshead said. “If you look at our engineering program, it’s very competitive and this new building was a natural next step.”
BYU representatives have consulted with top engineering schools in the country to plan for and include the newest components within the building. The project should be completed by Fall 2018.
MTC Expansion:
While not directly connected to BYU, the Missionary Training Center also announced expansive construction in the spring of 2014, and students and future missionaries have been seeing significant changes there, as well.
Though The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not yet commenting on the construction’s progress, the expansion will most likely include four six-story buildings where BYU’s laundry and auxiliary maintenance facilities used to be.
“The plans also include enhanced outdoor space for missionary use, 300 underground parking stalls and improved landscaping to beautify the area and provide a neighborhood buffer,” the church said in a news release.
Construction is expected to be completed by spring of next year.
Future
Provo High School: The high school, located across the street from BYU’s Indoor Practice Facility on University Avenue, was just recently purchased by BYU, yet long-term plans for the area have not been finalized.
“We are currently leasing the property back to Provo High School at no charge for a period of 30 months, during which time a new high school will be built in west Provo.” Hellewell said.
As BYU continues to grow, the campus will expand with it. Students can expect to see further physical changes at BYU as the programs, departments and colleges see progress in their work.
“During the construction process we appreciate (students’) patience,” Hollingshead said. “…there’s always a little bit of inconvenience, but when they’re finished, they’re always a huge asset to the students.”
