The construction near Sweeney Field that began after commencement in May is expected to be completed sometime in mid September.
The construction includes a newly designed walkway stretching from the side of Sweeney Field near Mandeville Hall towards Bellarmine Hall. The area previously had more stairs, making it difficult to access for some people with physical disabilities.
Tim McGuriman, associate vice president of Administrative Services, said the pathway meets the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements.
“This pathway eliminates stairs, making it easier for all members of the SJU community to move through this area of campus,” McGuriman said in an email to The Hawk.
According to the ADA Title III Regulations, “An alteration that affects or could affect the usability of or access to an area of a facility that contains a primary function shall be made so to ensure that … [facilities] … are readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities.”
In addition to making campus more accessible, the new pathway also utilizes reclaimed materials from the demolition of Jordan Hall, which also took place after commencement in May. The sidewalks along City Avenue between Cardinal Avenue and 54th Street were also partially repaved with new concrete.
Annelise Peterson ’22, a member of the soccer team, currently has a hip injury, which requires her to use crutches. Peterson said the new pathway will allow her to access the entirety of campus.
“I haven’t really been to all of campus yet because I purposely avoid the areas on the back side of Mandeville towards Sweeney Field,” Peterson said. “I know a lot of those areas have a lot of steep inclines. With my particular injury of a hip labrum issue I [won’t] really be able to crutch up those inclines.”
McGuriman said the campus master plan, which was announced this past March, has directly affected the planning processes behind accessibility construction at St. Joe’s.
“[Accessibility] is a part of any project we initiate if there’s an order to meet current building code,” McGuriman said. “So as we’ve continued to look at other renovations of other facilities on campus as part of the master plan, we’re certainly looking at accessibility in order to meet requirements that are code required and so forth.”
Christine Mecke, Ph.D., director of Student Disability Services is a member of the Accessibility Committee, a mix of staff, administration, faculty and students that meets twice a year to discuss ways to improve accessibility at St. Joe’s. Mecke said the construction near Sweeney Field has been a topic of discussion at group meetings.
“We talk about elevators and pathways that might be under construction, parking situations and anything that might be an issue in the physical environment of the campus,” Mecke emailed in response to questions from The Hawk.
Jennifer Tudor, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology and a member of the Accessibility Committee, said she brings a unique perspective to the group because she uses a wheelchair.
“I think the construction will be a huge asset for overall improved accessibility,” Tudor said. “Before if I wanted to go down from the Science Center to Mandeville, I would have to go out to City Avenue and come down, or I would take the back ramp by Gompers.”
Despite looking forward to the new pathway, Tudor said accessibility is something not often addressed enough in society as a whole. Tudor said when she is the only person advocating for increased accessibility it could come off as self serving.
“Now, if someone else, let’s say a colleague of mine or a bunch of colleagues of mine or students, if other people advocate and say, ‘We need to figure out a way to get an elevator in Barbelin,’ it’s a much better case in some ways because they’re making the argument for me,” Tudor said.