Construction of two components of the new Cornell Parking Garage have been delayed because of a difference in the project's original budget estimate and a new estimate conducted after the project was put out to bid.
Roger Lujan, UNM facility planning director, told the Commission on Higher Education Thursday that the two components, a new visitor center and a concession stand canopy, will be finished once new funding becomes available after the garage is complete some time near September of 2003.
UNM officials and project architects' original project budget estimate was $5.75 million, but after bids started coming in from contractors, it became evident for the entire project to be completed, $7.125 million would be required, Lujan said.
But, by delaying construction on the visitor center and canopy, the project will cost $6.32 million, which results in slightly less than a 10 percent increase from the original estimate.
If the new estimate were to exceed the original project budget estimate by more than 10 percent, a new project presentation would have to be made to the Commission on Higher Education, the board charged with reviewing all major building projects at the state's schools.
Lujan said the project is about 15 percent complete and on schedule, but he did not know when the visitor center and canopy would be completed.
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"That depends on what funding becomes available," he said.
The delay in the construction of the visitor center only includes renovation and construction included within its interior. Gerald Martin General Contractor of Albuquerque, the project's contractor, will build the "shell" for the center but it will remain empty until new funding is available.
The garage is being built to provide a centralized parking location for campus visitors and Popejoy Hall patrons. It is being designed to compliment the new School of Architecture and Planning, which will be built across the street and will start construction after the garage is completed.
Components of the garage that will continue as planned include offices for the UNM Police Department and Parking and Transportation Services.
Lujan said the parking structure itself, as well as the 397 spaces it will offer, will not be affected by the construction delay.
The University's current visitor center at 1700 Las Lomas NE, is scheduled to move into the new visitor center when it is completed.
Susan Moczygemba-McKinsey, director of Strategic Communication, located in the current visitor center, said her department has not been affected at all by the delay in construction.
"I've been assured its not going to be too long," she said.
