Lucye Rafferty/The Hoya Construction will continue on the Leo O’Donovan, S.J., Dining Hall through summer in preparation for its opening in August.

The construction of three new facilities on the Southwest Quadrangle, including the Rev. Leo J. O’Donovan, S.J. dining hall, as well as a Jesuit residence and 900-bed residence hall whose names have not been announced, is progressing on schedule and students are expected to be able to move into the residence hall and new dining hall for the fall 2003 semester.

“The residence halls are fully assigned, kitchen equipment is being installed right now and we all look forward to move-in as scheduled in late August,” Vice President of Facilities and Student Housing Karen Frank said.

The furnishing of the facilities is slated to be finished over the summer, while the next few weeks will also be focused on landscaping. Trees, shrubs and flowers are currently being delivered to decorate the courtyard.

Although all involved roadwork and stonework will not be completed until shortly after commencement, the Tondorf Road and Prospect Street entrances to campus were reopened last Thursday. The university still urges caution for vehicular and pedestrian traffic around the construction site.

The temporary road closure, as well as changes in GUTS bus stops, was in effect for approximately four months while construction progressed. The amended stops remain in effect with the exception of the one relocated to the front of the Car Barn from the front of the LXR residence hall.

The Southwest Quad construction project, launched in late August 2000 as part of the university’s Third Century fundraising plan, is the university’s largest building project to date. N addition to the residence hall and Jesuit residence, it will feature a new four-level underground parking garage and a new Jesuit residence.

The residence hall, originally fitted for 780 beds, was reconfigured to house an additional 120 students, converting double occupancy rooms into triple occupancy rooms, after the Housing Department was unable to accommodate all upperclassmen who opted to live on-campus.

A working group was formed during the past school year to determine how to best utilize the space on the ground floor of New South that will be vacated as a result of the new dining facilities. The university has not yet announced how it plans to use the vacated Jesuit residence buildings – Gervase, Mulledy and Old Ryan Halls.