Construction, which began this summer, on NSU’s campus and in nearby areas, is part of a two-year plan to create a new waste water plant and potable water system to treat waste water, distribute reusable water to areas around campus and act as an expandable source of drinking water, said NSU’s Facilities Management officials.
Pete Witschen, executive director for NSU’s Office of Facilities Management, said, “We now have an irrigation water standard and rather than irrigate from canals, the city will use reused water to provide irrigation water to surrounding areas.”
Construction of the new system includes installation of utility lines along Abe Fischler Boulevard or SW 30th St., which slowed the flow of traffic in that area used by the NSU community.
Steven Chiarelli, junior exercise sports science major, said, “If they have to do construction, then they have to do what they have to do. I’m just worried about damage to my tires from the debris, but it could be worse. I think they’re doing a pretty manageable job.”
Along the Alvin Sherman Library, areas are blocked off due to new chilled water lines and conduits for power being installed. The new lines will connect to make more efficient systems, said Witschen.
“These lines will allow the new energy plant on campus to feed more buildings. The new plant will produce chilled water for cooling buildings at a lower cost to the university,” said Witschen
Jessica Brumley, project manager for NSU’s Office of Facilities Management, said the east side of the library will be closed for the next 30 days and the south side will be closed for, approximately, two more weeks. However, the construction surrounding the library will continue for the next few months. Brumley said as different lines are installed, different areas will be blocked off.
More construction around the NSU community will begin as the town of Davie begins installing new utility lines on College Avenue within the next 30 days, continuing until the end of the year.
Preena Amin, MBA graduate student, said, “I think the construction will affect students. It feels like it just goes on forever and the town decided to do it during hurricane season, which probably wasn’t the smartest idea. It rains every day and you can’t do construction when it’s raining. Maybe they should’ve done it at another time.”
Witschen said, “In all fairness to the town of Davie, they have a short time period in which to complete these two plants and without an expansion, no new construction will be able to be approved within the South Florida Education Center.”
