After more than two years of controversy, the new Roth Center of Jewish Life at Dartmouth is finally under construction.
Although passers-by can see little but cement walls framing a large rectangular hole about 15-feet deep next to Delta Delta Delta sorority, the foundation for the new Hillel home is basically complete, said Reed Bergwall, assistant director of facilities planning.
Hillel, the Jewish students' organization at Dartmouth is currently located on Summer Street near Hanover High School, but the building does not contain facilities adequate for a student center, according to a College press release. Dartmouth is the only Ivy League institution without a center for Jewish life.
The new facility will be more than 11,000 square feet and includes a worship and dining area for more than 200 people.
"The plan is for the facility to be completed next summer to the beginning of fall term next year," College Rabbi Daniel Siegel said.
The center's grand opening is planned for next November.
Siegel said construction on the new center is going smoothly and dealings with people in the neighborhood have been cordial.
Building has been delayed for almost two years due to neighborhood concern over the center's size and location and concern it will increase traffic in the surrounding neighborhood.
Hearing the concerns of the community was very important to Hillel, and only added four or five months to the construction process, Siegel previously told The Dartmouth.
Tri-Delta President Anne Jones '97 is living in the sorority house right next to the construction site.
Jones said she has no complaints with the construction occurring next door.
"It has been pretty quiet," Jones said. "It is a little frustrating because we had some really nice trees and lawn and now we just have piles of wood and gravel."
She added she thinks the Hillel Center will be a great addition to the College and community.
Bergwall said the next step in construction is to pour the lower level floor slab.
Bergwall said he hopes to have the roof up by December. Workers will be able to start on the interior of the building during the wet weather.
The exterior work on the building, site work and landscaping will take place in the spring, Bergwall said.
"The goal is to get the roof on and water tight before the worst of winter hits," Bergwall said.
Bergwall said interior construction will take them through building completion which is scheduled for July 1, 1997.
Bergwall said the construction crew has "been making strong efforts to keep all construction within the fence [around the Center's site] and be considerate to all the neighbors."
