Since its ground-breaking in summer 2011, the University of Massachusetts’ Commonwealth Honors College Residential Complex (CHCRC) – In what used to be lot 40 next to Boyden Gymnasium – has been making significant headway.

And over recent weeks, there have been visible changes and advances in the construction of the project. However, despite the rapid progression, the $186.5 million complex holds current and foreseen challenges, according to project manager Andy Soles.

Soles explained there have been many ground-breaking activities going on at the site, including last summer’s utility work, closing of near-by pedestrian areas and main building construction in the center of the complex.

“The project’s going very well; it’s on an incredibly aggressive schedule,” said Soles.

His concerns mainly revolved around the scheduling of the project as well as the safety of the pedestrians along the construction areas.

“We’re concerned about the circulation and safety around the site. It’s a very heavily traveled route and that’s really a challenge of the site,” said Soles.

Due to the amount of construction trucks on Commonwealth Avenue as well as the Tobin Hall walking area, it is a continuing priority to keep these areas safe for students and the public.

Soles was also concerned with space and elevation for the project. Considering the size of the parking lot in place before the beginning of this project and the small uphill area near Bartlett Hall into which the project will expand, organizing and constructing the seven buildings that will be comprised in the CHCRC is a challenging task.

“It’s a very tight site,” said Sole. “They need a place to lay down all the steel and building materials and they’re doing this in future building sites so that’s really a challenge.”

The first building to be put up was the core building of the complex, leaving space to work, while the last buildings will be the small offices on the outer parts of the complex.

Soles said there is a financial challenge with maintaining the level of sustainability outlined for the building. CHCRC plans to be energy efficient will be kept in mind for the UMass’ budget even after completion of the complex.

“There are certain sustainability guidelines we have to follow in order to achieve a certain rating,” he said. “We are looking at green roofs but they probably won’t go in because there’s sort of a cost issue.” Although solar energy is seen as too costly, it is just one of the many ways the University is looking to make the complex “green.”

Shane Conklin, the interim director of Facilities Planning at UMass, said the project is on budget and that there are no real current financial issues besides maintaining energy efficiency.

“The project funding was secured through issuance of bonds by the University of Massachusetts Building Authority [UMBA],” he said. “The funds reside at the UMBA and are dedicated for the budgeted costs of the facility.”

Because the complex is opening up housing for more students, 90 percent of the bonds issued by UMBA will be funded mostly through profit for Residential Life, said Conklin. He explained that the remaining 10 percent will be funded by “general operations revenues,” which allows a campus investment in the complex, as well.

Renovations for Hampshire Dining Commons will also be funded through the UMBA. This is projected to be completed by next winter, as it is in the preliminary stages of planning, design and construction.

A minor financial burden posed by the complex construction is a loss in revenue from parking in lot 40.

“Parking revenue has been minimally impacted,” said Conklin, who explains that the campus has compensated for the lost parking spaces by expanding lots 33 – across from the Southwest Residential Area, 25 – next to the Mullins Center and 42, which is the ROTC lot.

Along with maintaining funds from parking, the complex also allows for the other projects on campus to keep their construction priority.

“All projects that are funded for, including the CHCRC, were previously determined to be top priorities for campus,” said Conklin. “Therefore, the CHCRC project does not have any funding competition.”

The Commonwealth Honors College is a program that serves about 3,000 students in 88 majors. Dean of the honors college, Priscilla Clarkson and her student advisory board are happy to see progress being made to the complex and that it is in a secure financial position within the University, making completion look more promising for the fall 2013 semester.

Kellie McHugh can be reached at [email protected].