Boston University residence Danielsen Hall on 512 Beacon street recently announced plans to start an eight to ten week long maintenance project, and students have complained about the late notice and noise caused by the construction.
Residents in Danielsen Hall received an email on Sept. 22 which notified them of the construction plans, and were asked to close windows to limit dust infiltration and shade the privacy.
“Work on the front façade will start mid-week next week, and continue for (an) anticipated 8 to 10 weeks,” according to the email from Residence Life. “Work hours will be 8am to 4pm (with no noisy work until after 9 am).”
The maintenance project erected a mast climber on Saturday to the front of the Danielsen Hall residence, which is needed to ensure safety in their construction work.
Alton Reese, a junior in the College of Communications who is living in Danielsen Hall, said that the construction and the noise began two days before he and other residents got the email.
“I immediately texted my RA about why there was construction in front of our dorm because there was already noises before they sent the email out,” Reese said. “Once they let us know, it just only got louder, hard to sleep, hard to do everything.”
Jiarui Yu, a freshman in the BU Center for English Language and Orientation Programs, said the construction didn’t affect her much.
She said she wasn’t told about the construction before she moved in, and that she leaves for class before the noise begins.
BU spokesperson Colin Riley said that the maintenance project is a “year-round process” which involves the buildings around the campus and can be found on BU Campus Planning & Operation website.
“This is not necessary construction, it’s maintenance,” Riley said. “They’re not doing major renovations inside. A similar thing would be painting the exterior of your house, for instance.”
He emphasized the construction in front of Danielsen Hall is in the regular maintenance plan, along with major interior work for residences during the summer.
“Certain major projects on residences are done during the summer,” Riley said. “What took place on Warren Towers and what’s taking place on Danielsen is more exteriors, it’s not to the same extent.”
Riley added the duration of the maintenance projects remains uncertain until the contractor begins constructing the project.
“The project timeline will be similar to that of the work on the rear of the building,” he wrote. “We’re anticipating it will be eight to 10 weeks, but the contractor will have a firmer timeline once work is underway.”
Reese said he wishes that BU would choose another time to do construction work.
“I wish they would have a better time doing it, more than just during the day,” he said, “or waiting until the winter break.”
