<p>I was reading an article about the new student center, set to be done by 2009, posted on the Barnard homepage. It seems really great and interesting but I’m wondering about construction and how disruptive it will be to all of us living there… anyone know any specifics about this?</p>
<p>all i remember from my tour last month, is that they're knocking down mcintosh and putting the new student center in its place. i probably just regurgitated what you just finished reading in that article, but i just felt like posting...</p>
<p>Unfortunately as a current junior I probably won't be around to enjoy it. All I am here for is the annoying tunnel closures during the coldest part of the year...</p>
<p>Anyway, the current McIntosh is getting knocked down this summer and the new Nexus will begin construction shortly after. It's going to be this grand building with places to eat and a lounge and all types of mixed - use spaces. I have seen these wonderful pictures on eBear, and I can't help but think it's going to be a Barnard version of Lerner. It's planned to be a green building, also.</p>
<p>Personally, I like the small, "homey" feeling of McIntosh and will be sad to see it go.</p>
<p>I would have liked to have McIntosh for a year. ):</p>
<p>No, really, I doubt you would have. It's pretty ugly - from Broadway it's just a cement block - and the space is used very inefficiently.<br>
I think the goal is to do most of the construction during breaks, so as to minimize the disruption, but obviously it'll still be a pain. But, it's gotta be done sometime, it may as well be done now.</p>
<p>If it's anything like the construction going on at my high school right now, the noise is only bad during demolition, but the smell of burning tar during actual construction...not pleasant.</p>
<p>I just got back from visiting Barnard -- there was one part of the building that I couldn't access because of the construction, but the construction wasn't noisy or obvious unless you happened to be trying to go in that way. I kind of liked Macintosh the way it is now -- I ate lunch there with my daughter and later stopped by on my own to buy myself a coffee while she was sleeping. But I think that those areas will be closed next year during the construction and I don't know if there will be any on-campus alternative for meals & snacks.</p>
<p>The whole thing is a kind of damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't situation. There's a certain charm to Macintosh right now -- but the line between charming and shabby is rather thin, and down the line students are probably going to be happier and better served with shiny, new & spacious. I think they are doing their best to minimize the degree of interference with student life that construction entails -- but it is a very small campus, so there's no real way to avoid some inconvenience.</p>
<p>Calmom, I hope you enjoyed your visit! We are going up the week after break...</p>
<p>Oh, I had a lot of fun staying in the dorm room with my daughter! I was able to meet two of her professors and talk to the financial aid people - and the weather ended up being quite warm and sunny for most of the time I was there. Plus I met her roommate and one of the girls she hopes to room with next year.</p>