The renovations being made to the East Wheelock residential cluster are wrapping up and should be completed both on time and within budget, according to College Architect George Hathorn.
Construction began in June on both the white house adjacent to the cluster at 13 East Wheelock Street and at Brace Commons.
The cluster -- which consists of Andres, Morton and Zimmerman residence halls -- is scheduled to be occupied beginning Sept. 18 but the buildings should be officially open before then, Eckels said.
The "supercluster" will host a number of programming events and will be overseen by three advisors -- faculty associates Marianne Hirsch and Leo Spitzer and Steven Cornish, cluster dean.
Dean of the College Lee Pelton has called the new residence cluster "an attempt to unite intellectual activities with socializing and to suggest that those two can be one and the same."
In the coming weeks, construction at the 13 East Wheelock house will involve "a fair amount of carpentry... [but] it's not ripping and tearing and demolition" Hathorn said.
"The noisy part is done," Eckels added.
The house, which is directly adjacent to the East Wheelock cluster and is currently used to house College faculty and staff, is being converted into the "faculty cottage" where Hirsch and Spitzer, who are married, will live. In addition, 13 Wheelock will be a semi-public area capable of hosting cluster programming events.
Hathorn said workers are putting the finishes on the hardwood flooring, installing cabinets and bookcases, and applying the interior trimming.
Carpentry on the porches and exterior painting will continue throughout the week, Eckels said. He said the porches will be wheelchair accessible.
The scheduled completion date for 13 East Wheelock house construction is Sept. 9.
The College expects the total cost of the renovations to meet the proposed budget of $500,000.
While construction on the faculty cottage is still a few weeks away from completion, renovations in Brace Commons, the ground-level meeting area for the cluster, are "winding down," Eckels said.
The internal space in Brace Commons has been reconfigured to include faculty offices, a snack bar and the existing multipurpose room.
Previous storage space in Brace Commons has been modified to house two offices and a reception room for the cluster dean Cornish, the faculty associate Spitzer, and an administrative assistant.
Eckels said workers are currently painting the area -- they will lay down carpet next week and furniture is scheduled to show up next month.
The "Snack-Bar" area of Brace Commons is already carpeted and food preparation equipment, including a commercial stove, coolers, and self-serve drink machines, should be installed within the week Eckels said.
Eckels said Brace will still feature the old kitchen.
Mechanical work, including electric wiring and a fire suppression system, has almost been completed in Brace Commons.
If construction remains on budget, the total cost of the cluster renovations will near $90,000.
