Story by Bri Hunter
Contributing writer
briannahunter5@gmail.com
As the fall semester approaches, many are asking questions in regards to New Richmond Residential College. Will it be open in time for this fall semester? How is the progress coming along? When will Waldrop Road be open? What still needs to be done in order to finish on time?
Director of Communications Shawn Touney said construction remains on track.
“The South half is receiving exterior finishes of brick and roofing,” Touney said, “The interior is starting to receive finishes to walls, floors, and ceilings. The North half is being cleaned and commissioned for final completion. Parking and site clean up will be completed after the majority of exterior work around the building is complete.”
Touney confirmed that the entire residential college will reopen to students by the beginning of the fall semester. Waldrop Road, which runs from KY Highway 121 South to Chestnut Street in between the intramural fields and the residential colleges, will also open once construction is completed.
The road has been closed since the explosion as debris was scattered throughout deeming it unsafe for motorists and pedestrians. During the construction phase, the street in front of New Richmond has remained closed, forcing drivers to take an alternate route.
Touney said that the contractors are currently in various stages of construction and finalization from the north to the south of the building.
Although it is not open to the public yet, there are visible signs of progress.
The roof is nearly complete and some walls are in the process of being finalized. Clean up is bound to take place as soon as the exterior of the building comes to completion.
June 28, 2017 at 4:53 p.m. James H. Richmond Residential Hall exploded causing massive destruction and injuring the residential director who was inside asleep at the time. New Richmond was not the only building affected by the explosion. Hester Residential College, Hart Residential College, Clark Residential College and Winslow Dining Hall all sustained damage in the explosion.
A gas leak was later determined to be the cause of the explosion.