Under Construction

Last week, I visited Bucks County Community College last week for the first time in a while, several months at least.  I found things to be quite different this time.  The campus was under construction, which was nothing new, but I found more areas being renovated than before.  Also, some of the areas I thought would be finished by now are still being remodeled.  The first thing I noticed as I was making my way across the campus was the fencing on both sides of the walkway.  The area outside of Pemberton Hall (the administrative building) was now occupied by heavy construction equipment and the beginnings of what will be known as Newtown Commons.  The accompanying picture should give some idea of what it will look like when completed.   I’m guessing it will be ready to open in time for the fall 2012 semester, but I am quite clueless when it comes to guessing on these things.  I didn’t bother asking anyone, and I’ll try to remember next time I’m there.

Next, I made my way to the library, which has also been under construction for quite some time now.  For years after I was a student there, the library looked generally the same, but in the last few years, has been radically altered.  A good part of the lower floor was partitioned off and converted to the bookstore, which moved there from its previous location.  Until a few years ago, it occupied a room in the area where the Newtown Commons is now under construction.  The upstairs, where the book stacks are located, is now entirely closed off due to the construction.  Anyone who needs a book checked out has to give the name and number of the book to one of the student aides, who will then run up and pull the book.  The tutoring lab that was formerly upstairs had been moved downstairs for the construction.  It is unrecognizable to me since the lower floor has been renovated to handle the entire library operation process, except for the books. 

There are other areas being renovated as well.  Construction work in the cafeteria appears to have been completed.  That had also been going on for a while as well.   I thought some of the work being done was only temporary, but the work seems to have stopped there, unless there is another phase planned for later.  I included a photo of the garden.  I didn’t see any workers or equipment there, but the muddy patch with tire tracks all over it indicates that there is work being done there, not to mention the fact that the area is taped off.  Again, I’m not sure how long it will be before everything is done, but at least some parts of the campus will look a lot different from what I remember, even just a few years ago.