According to a UNM release, with construction soon to begin at some major UNM facilities, University President Bob Frank held his annual Open House to keep UNM’s community partners informed.
“We’re very excited about all of these projects and know they will have a major impact on the University and our students,” Frank was quoted as saying in the release. “They will also have some effect on our neighbors, so it’s important for us to have a dialogue with them, answer questions and work together on these important projects.”
Faculty, design experts and staff from the Office of Planning, Design and Construction were available to answer questions and talk with guests about the capital improvement projects, according to the release.
Several developments were highlighted during the event: the Farris Engineering Center, Health Education Building, the McKinnon Center for Management at the Anderson School, Physics & Astronomy Interdisciplinary Science Center, Johnson Center and Smith Plaza, according to the release.
The President’s Office invited representatives from nearby neighborhood associations, contractors and architects to the event, according to the release.
Because of their location, several of the projects will have an effect on foot and vehicle traffic on and around campus, according to the release, and University officials say UNM’s neighbors may be impacted during construction.
President Frank said that is just one of the reasons he felt it important to include and inform neighborhood representatives of the projects, according to the release. Several of the capital projects are already underway while others are still in the planning phase and, currently, construction is scheduled to be completed by 2019 for all six of the projects.
