by Krystal Zaragoza
Daily Lobo
After two contractors and nearly two years of construction, the new SUB will finally open its doors July 1 with great anticipation and some frustration.
The construction ends with a ceremony at 11 a.m. Tuesday that will include presentations by University President Chris Garcia and other UNM administrators.
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Mike Brogdon, president of K.L. House Inc, the construction company that finished the SUB, said there would be no problems having the SUB ready by July 1.
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"There are a lot of people in there right now," Brogdon said. "It's basically just a lot of clean up."
Sophomore Porcia Bauer said that she is looking forward to the activities that will be going on in the SUB.
"I know that they hold Greek banquet there, and I am a member of the Greek community so I am excited to see how they are going to get student involvement encouraged at the building."
ASUNM was very active in making sure that those in charge of finishing the SUB heard the thoughts and concerns of the students and had the president, two appointed students and a senator on the SUB board, said Associated Students of UNM President Jennifer Onuska.
"ASUNM is really excited about the building," Onuska said.
Onuska held a public forum to talk about the SUB in November, and has worked closely with UNM vice president for business and finance Julie Weaks Gutierrez in trying to get the SUB opened as quickly as possible.
Brogdon said he was very pleased with his work.
"I always feel good about our work and the SUB is going to be a fine facility," he said.
He also said he thinks that the UNM community will be pleased.
"I think they are very happy with it and feel that it is going to be a quality facility," Brogdon said.
Bauer expressed her disappointment with the delay and said, "I was hoping that it would be done by the time I was entering my freshman year because I heard that was the hangout place."
Like Bauer, senior Gordon Cottrill was very displeased with the delays and stated that now that the construction is finally complete, he has no use for the building.
"I think it took a little too long. I started school here about four years ago when they first started it. It's going to be a let down because I won't be able to see it."
Onuska said that the main concern of students was the delay in construction.
"I think that the delays were unfortunate for the entire student body and the building should not have taken so long to be completed," she said. "It was an unfortunate and frustrating situation."
Although the delays will cause many students who attended the University and have already left to never see the building, many still look forward to what it will bring to the future students at UNM and what it will provide for current students.
"It will be a central point for student and campus life," said Onuska.
