New engineering buildings under way

The area next to the library, which used to be a parking lot, is now being transformed into Engineering IV, a 104,000 square foot state-of-the-art building scheduled to hold classrooms and offices for the engineering department.

Construction began in January and the building is scheduled to open in January 2007. So far, 27 percent of the building is complete.

“It is on schedule right now,” said Johan Uyttewaal, associate director of facilities planning and capital projects.

The foundation of the building took more time to complete than expected, Uyttewaal said. This was because it is not a standard drilled foundation, but a rammed foundation, which involves a process of strengthening the soil beneath the building.

The strengthening of the soil allows for less extensive drilling, because deeper supports are not needed.

“We have to drill 10 to 15 feet as opposed to 35 feet,” Uyttewaal said.

The Bonderson Engineering Building is also under construction at Cal Poly.

The building, which is being funded by alumnus Paul Bonderson, will provide a 20,000 square foot space in which engineering majors will be able to work on and complete their senior projects, Uyttewaal said.

“It’s going to be great for students to do their projects in,” Uyttewaal said.

The building, which started construction this year, should be complete by May 2006.

“I think that it’s going to be a focal point for our college,” industrial engineering senior Karl Ivory said. “It’s going to give the school and the college a chance to show off what it has to offer.”