Cutler construction still ongoing

Daniel Leahy/Sun Star Reporter
September 11, 2012

The Cutler Apartment Complex parking lot and adjacent areas are being renovated. The work being done consists mainly of adding new handrails on the decks, replacing the asphalt in the sidewalks, and putting in new electrical wiring and siding. A new wheelchair ramp is also being built to make some of the apartments handicap-accessible. Alcan Builders, Inc., a local contractor, is undertaking the construction project. The project was projected to be completed by September 20. However, due to some design revisions, it is running behind schedule and will likely take longer.

Red temporary safety fencing surrounds the walkway along the front of the Cutler apartments at UAF. Danger signs accompany this fencing to ensure that everyone is alerted to the potential dangers that come with ongoing construction. Sept. 6th, 2012. Carolyn Deskins/ Sun Star

The ongoing construction work has caused a backlash among some Cutler residents. Over the summer, the quiet neighborhood whose living quarters are sought-after for their convenience became a bustling construction site as improvements were being made.  The noise of construction work present throughout the day has been a source of frustration. Because the apartments are built directly adjacent to the parking lot, residents are unable to avoid the noises that accompany construction work. “It is very inconvenient being woken up by construction work at eight in the morning,” Alyssa Widby, a Cutler resident, said.

Closing off the parking lot has also annoyed some Cutler residents. This left drivers with no choice but to search for spots elsewhere on campus.

“It’s dumb because there are no alternate parking lots,” Widby said. “Moving in sucked.”

The likely delays in project completion are also an issue. “The contractor always asks for more time,” Alcan Builders Secretary and Treasurer Scott Bothwell said. After weeks of waiting, many Cutler residents are finding difficulty accepting this rationale.

While some residents may be reluctant to put up with delays and inconvenience, others seem appreciative of the safety improvements that will accompany the new building. Bothwell claims the project will benefit students primarily by improving safety. The Cutler sidewalks were “unattractive and on the verge of being unsafe,” Bothwell said.  In regards to that, Courtney Darnell, a Cutler resident, said, “I guess that makes sense.”

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Inspire tag located at Signer's Hall entrance. Sept. 5, 2012. Alan Fearns/ Sun Star

Signs such as these are posted along the entrance to the Cutler apartments parking lot at UAF. This witty signed is aimed at students living in the apartments who are feeling a sense of dismay towards the ongoing construction. Sept. 6, 2012. Carolyn Deskins/ Sun Star

On Sept. 6, 2012, construction laborers are hard at work on the new handicap accessible ramp that has been installed into the Cutler parking lot. "This ramp is the main part of this entire project" one of the workers said.

Construction on the Cutler parking lot has been in full swing since the middle of the 2012 summer. By Sept 6., one of the five new sets of stairs are almost complete, with the others following close behind. Sept. 6th, 2012. Carolyn Deskins/ Sun Star

Temporary handrails can be seen along the steps to each entrance to the Cutler apartments. By the end of the Cutler parking lot's face-lift, these not-so-pretty additions will be changed out for more sightly handrails that will match the building's colorscale. Sept. 6. Caralyn Deskins/Sun Star

Along with a new handicap accessible ramp, other changes to the Cutler parking are going to include new lamp posts to light up the lot, the location of which are marked by wooden stakes adorned with neon pink tags. Sept. 6, 2012. Carolyn Deskins/ Sun Star

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