Parking lot to get make over

The Stonehenge Parking lot will be receiving a large makeover this summer.

The blue prints for the project has been completed and all appropriate on campus organizations have approved the project. The town of Lyndon zoning board has also approved the project and now the plans await state approval.

People who might be affected by the project are allowed to request a hearing at the state level, typically this can be neighbors or other people who use the property said Dean of Administration Wayne Hamilton.

"We don't know if someone will request a hearing," said Hamilton. "If not it will speed things up."

If the project is approved the bids for contractors will open May 16. Currently the goal to break ground and begin the project is set for June 1 according to Hamilton.

The project will include tearing up the entire parking lot and resurfacing it, adding parking spots (up from 301 to 332), increase the size of the spots (from eight feet wide to nine feet), moving the current basketball court and skate park across the street to below the rugby field, adding a pedestrian walk way in the parking lot, and adding lights throughout the lot.

"I'm hesitant to put a number on it at this point," said Hamilton. "I am confident we will have sufficient funds."

Some of the money will come from a bond and can only be used for capital development.

"It can only be used for capital projects," he said. "It can't bye furniture, it can't bye computers and it certainly can't pay salaries."

Once bids start coming in Lyndon will pick the contractor who can do the  best job for the least amount of money. The school is also hoping that the bids will come in at a low enough number that they will have enough money to cross another project off a long and growing list.