Some students have taken notice of the gaping hole between Hardman Jacobs Undergraduate Learning Center and Guthrie Hall at New Mexico State University. The construction is set to be completed by the end of September.

According to Project Manager Dickie Apodaca, NMSU has nearly three miles of tunnels sprawling underneath the International Mall and across campus, housing a variety of utilities from communications to steam tubing.

Constructed in the 1950s, the central location for the internet, telephone lines and heating and cooling often needs repair. The lid between HJLC and Guthrie, Apodaca said, is the current maintenance project in session.

“Our number one priority is safety, for students, for staff, for everyone,” Apodaca said. “There were some signs of failure and were immediately put up jacks and supports and got straight to work.”

Apodaca said the project has taken longer than expected. Completion was knocked off track from the original Fall 2020 goal due to setbacks, but Apodaca said the current operations are set to finish on schedule.

The construction project began at the beginning of the summer and the expected completion date has been extended to the end of this month, with a $112,500 price tag.

Some students who still attend classes in person took notice when things were back in full swing. Jessica Moreno, a sophomore at NMSU said she wasn’t too fazed by the project.

“I see it as another way the school is making sure everything is taking place as it should,” Moreno said. “It honestly doesn’t bother me one way or another.”

Jessica Ramirez, a junior, said she didn’t mind the construction and gave the inconvenience a positive spin.

“It kinda bugs me because I have to walk around the giant hole but like it’s helping me walk off more of that ‘Quarantine 15,’” Ramirez said.