The Mayer Campus Center will have a new heating and air conditioning system next fall, according to Vice President of Operations John Roberto.
This system will replace the existing one, which is worn out and does not provide air conditioning throughout the entire building.
"The building right now is completely heated and only partially air-conditioned," Roberto said.
While the university had hoped to hire a construction company and acquire the necessary materials by this past summer in order to complete the project in time for the current school year, some roadblocks arose along the way.
"There were logistical issues with getting bids in on time," Tufts Community Union (TCU) Historian Alex Pryor said.
While bids eventually came in, the university had to push the project back because there was a strong chance it would spill over into the school year if work began this summer.
"We were not confident that we could get all of the new equipment delivered and installed such that the project would be completed on time," Roberto said.
Had construction continued during the school year, the campus center would have been closed.
"There would have been major renovation going on during the school year, resulting in a major inconvenience to the student body," TCU President Neil DiBiase said in an e-mail. "We would like to have it done as soon as possible, but the most important thing is to minimize the effect on students."
According to the current timeline, the project will be sent out again early next year for competitive bidding.
The actual construction, which will cost around $2 million, will begin after Commencement and "take the better part of the entire summer," Roberto said. Until then, the current system will remain active.
