Seismic and aesthetic upgrades planned for the Liberal Arts buildings

Photo by: Jaime A. Varela

The Liberal Arts buildings 2, 3 and 4 are expected to undergo a $7.4 million seismic and classroom upgrade within the next year.

According to a recent article in the Daily 49er, the buildings will be closed for a year and they will be renovated at the same time in order to minimize the cost.

Sue Brown, director of physical planning and construction management at CSULB said the money will be provided by operating funds and student fees. 

Brown stressed the importance of spending this money in order to provide students a safer educational environment. She said the buildings have always been maintained, but they have not received any upgrades since they were built in the 1950s. 

Although the Liberal Arts buildings need renovations, many students do not think it is a good idea. 

David Lopez, 22, a communication studies major said "I'd rather have more students be accepted into the university, than spend that much money on these buildings."  

Despite the costs, many students feel renovating the buildings is a good idea since we live in an area prone to massive earthquakes.

Brown said faculty offices and classrooms will be relocated to Liberal Arts 1 and 5 as well as Peterson Hall 1 and 2 during the project.

Traffic nightmare for CSULB commuters

Photo by: Stefan Agregado

       CSULB commuters faced the unpleasant consequences of heavy traffic Tuesday after the Seventh Street connector was closed due to the West County construction project. 

       The connector was closed on Monday and is expected to remain closed until April 2012.  

      

       An accident near the Palo Verde exit on the I-405, which is a main detour for students, also added to the stressful congestion leading into Long Beach. 

       Dennis Ngyuen, 20, a biology major who resides in Westminster said "as convenient it was to exit Seventh, I can take five more minutes to exit through Palo Verde." Ngyuen added that the traffic problems haven't affected his commute significantly since the road closed because he arrives on campus around 11 A.M. 

       Although some students are finding ways to avoid the traffic, many students are significantly being affected. The Daily 49er wrote in a recent article, that one student reported half her class missing Tuesday morning because they were all stuck in traffic. 

       "The overall sentiment of commuters was not good," said Matt Grippi and Chasen Doerr, both Daily 49er Staff Writers.  

       Students and faculty commuting along the affected area can go to octa.net/westcounty to learn more about the project and detour information. 

       

       

CSULB commuters face a new challenge on the road

Photo by: Orange County Transportation Authority

       CSULB's Public Affairs office issued a notice early April warning students of the I-405 and SR-22 freeway connector closure scheduled for April 18, 2011. 

       The West County Connector Project requires the 7th Street connector into Long Beach to be closed for approximately one year. 

       Christina Byrne, the Community Relations Officer said, the closure of this freeway will impact a large percentage of CSULB students commuting from local Orange County cities. The project spans across several cities, which include Garden Grove, Westminster, Seal Beach, Los Alamitos, Long Beach, and the community of Rossmoor. 

       Once completed, the project will consist of additional carpool lanes, two "fly over" carpool structures, and enhanced aesthetic elements like, decorated soundwalls, retaining walls and added landscaping. 

       

       The west segment project is being funded $159 million from local funds and various state programs.

Photo by: Orange County Transportation Authority

       

       

Bookstore gets seismic upgrade

Photos by: Jaime A. Varela

       The second phase of the two-part renovation project in the bookstore is scheduled to be complete by the middle of May and fully operational by May 27. The three buildings which compose of the warehouse, the I.D. card center, and the bookstore are being connected and upgraded to current seismic standards.

       In addition to the seismic upgrade, a renovation of the textbook area will create a multipurpose section for events, meetings, and much more.  Bookshelves on wheels will make it possible to use the space effectively. The I.D. card offices and Campus Copy Center will also be permanently placed inside the bookstore. 

       Rosa Hernandez, Director of Communications for the Forty-Niner Shops said, "the Forty-Niner Shops are a fully self-funded, nonprofit auxiliary of the CSU." This implies student fees will not be affected by the project.

       "The project was identified by an audit of the physical facilities that was conducted by the CSU Chancellor's Office," said Hernandez. When the project was identified, it was later taken on by the board of directors for the Forty-Niner Shops. 

       Currently all services are still available including the Campus Copy Center, which is temporarily located in the front of the store.