It was Ben Franklin who said, “In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” In Plymouth there are three: death, taxes and construction. When spring arrives in Plymouth, it doesn’t mean green grass and May flowers, but detours, roadwork and orange cones. A “big dig” can be a big drag. Just ask anyone who lives, works or goes to school in Plymouth.
On campus, the construction has centered on Mary Lyon residence hall, under renovation since summer of 2006. According to Tammy Hill, the University’s Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator, the year-long project is expected to be completed in September just in time for students to move in.
Hill said the renovations include new bathrooms, energy-efficient windows and a more energy-efficient heating system. New fire alarm and sprinkler systems will be installed as well as an elevator and room adjustments to make the residential hall more accessible for students with mobility impairments. The landscape will be improved and a new universal access ramp and entrance will be added.
According to Hill, the Residential Life offices are being added to the basement level and the University Studies program will also be placed there.
The project appears to be coming along nicely, but if you were to ask students, their responses may not be as nice.
“It’s pretty annoying,” said first-year Rachel Duval, a resident of Blair Hall, located in back of Mary Lyon. “Just imagine someone blaring the worst sounding music at like 8 A.M. and you’ll know how we feel. I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal, but after awhile, the sounds get pretty old, and I really just can’t wait to get away from it.”
Although Mary Lyon remains the subject of attention, it isn’t the only construction project on campus. According to Hill, Rounds Hall will be getting new windows to improve the building’s appearance and its energy efficiency. The infrastructure improvements will continue, this time between High Street and Merrill Street. The changes made around the campus will be highlighted by a new bridge and roundabout to serve as an entrance to the town of Plymouth and the University. In Hill’s eyes, the campus improvements emphasize energy efficiency and make the campus a more inviting place to go to school, something everyone can be proud of.
While the on-campus projects begin to heat up, students who live off-campus have been hit just as hard. Junior Casey Terry resides at 39-B Green Street, located alongside the railroad, which has been under construction.
“The worst part is definitely the noise in the morning,” said Terry. “I’m not a morning person by any means and I don’t enjoy being awakened from my coma, it doesn’t exactly make my day.”
Half of the parking lot for students who live on Green Street has also been consumed by the construction so the inconvenience goes far beyond the annoying sounds. It’s an inconvenience, however, that some think will be worth it in the end. Off Campus Rentals owner, Doug McLane, recognizes the frustration of his tenants but sees the potential in the outcome.
“It’s more of a necessary inconvenience,” said McLane. “There is nothing I think they should have done differently, it’s just unfortunate that the residents have to deal with it. Green Street should have a much improved parking lot next year so it’ll be worth it.” The railroads had to be raised a foot and a half so that it could be level with the road. In order to do that, they had to tear up the railroad and fill in new gravel that the new tracks could sit on. “What an awfully big project to raise railroad tracks,” McLane said about the lengthy development.
For some local business in town, the construction has been almost destructive to business. “It’s been rather tough. We lost all of our parking,” lamented Plymouth Bagels’ owner, Alex Mezibov, whose business is on Main Street next to the bridge work. “With the detours, people don’t bother stopping by in the morning because they don’t want to be late for work.” Mezibov has had to learn to live with the roadwork for two years. Although his business has taken a slight hit, he believes there won’t be any lingering effects after the projects are concluded. “I think it’s temporary, in terms of loss to business. I really don’t know what else to expect.”
Plymouth Bagels isn’t the only local business impacted by downtown construction, Samaha’s has also experienced the challenges of doing business in a construction zone. “It hasn’t helped, to be honest with you,” said owner Louis Samaha. “The roadwork has made it fairly tough, it could be worse though, and all of the walking customers make it a lot easier.”
In the end, the goal is to satisfy both the University and the community. With both so closely linked, it’s almost impossible to make a decision that affects one but not the other. That is why President Sara Jayne Steen views these matters as an overall team effort. “We involve the community in our plans and problem solve together. The campus and the community are often aligned. The community is critical to the campus and the campus is part of the community, it isn’t a simple choice of one or the other.”
It’s impossible to please everyone, which is probably the most important thing to be learned with any project. Whether on or off campus, there will be negativity, but staying positive is the best way to deal with the situation. Despite the frustration of many, Samaha refuses to dwell on it. “I’m trying to have positive thoughts. If I do that, I like to think everything will work out okay.”
When this spring’s projects are finished, next spring’s projects will begin, and when students walk into the new Mary Lyons Hall, maybe they’ll think, “Hey, maybe they knew what they were doing after all.” Detours decorated with orange cones won’t symbolize inconvenience, but rather improvement and good things to come. A new bridge guiding people into downtown Plymouth will be a way of saying, “Welcome to Plymouth, New Hampshire; a community, a campus, always a work in progress.”