Students received novelty hardhats as they walked into Colonial Inauguration this year for good reason – the University is engulfed in numerous construction projects.

“There are a lot of exciting changes happening to campus,” said Michelle Honey, director of architecture, engineering and construction.

The mid-campus quad, located between Lisner Auditorium and Gelman Library, will be substantially completed by the beginning of school, Honey said. The new area, which has been in different stages of renovation for several years, will include a large event space, a small garden and two new additions to the University architecture.

One new feature of the mid-campus quad is a tempieto, a small pre-caste monument, that Honey said she hopes will create a sense of place.

“We hope students will use it as a meeting place,” she said. “I am sure students will find a name for it.”

The landscaped quad will also feature a fountain with seating around it. Honey said the fountain garden will also become a favorite spot for students around campus.

The University is also in different stages of development in many new buildings, with more in the planning stages. The University broke ground during the last school year on two new facilities, a Health and Wellness Center and the Media and Public Affairs Building.

Honey said both buildings will be in development throughout the school year. The wellness center is expected to be completed by late 2000, and the media building will shadows it in each development stage. Students will see a hole where the building will eventually be when they arrive on campus, she said.

The University recently gained approval to begin development of a new hospital, and a timetable will be set soon, said Amy Pianalto, media relations coordinator for the hospital. The University is also planning to construct a new residence hall and a building for the Elliott School of International Affairs.

The Marvin Center, which is being renovated, will debut a new ground floor this fall, complete with new dining stations and enhanced shopping areas. The first floor, J Street, will also be completed by the fall, as will the fourth floor, which houses student organization offices, Honey said.

The University is also expanding the parking garage on I Street, she said.