The facelift on Toomer's Corner is entering Phase 1. \0x200B
The corner of College and Magnolia, empty since Harvey Updyke poisoned the soil as revenge for the 2010 Iron Bowl, is entering the first stages of renovations and construction.
The J.A. Lett Construction Company Inc. of Auburn was contracted in March and will begin installing fences around the perimeter of the work site Wednesday, April 2.
"Three local construction companies turned in bids for the project and the J. A. Lett company was selected based on a receipt of the lowest dollar amount," said Gail Riese, Communications and Marketing specialists for Auburn's Facilities Management division. "The total cost of the project will be $583,913."
Riese said there is 1,700 tons of material waiting to be excavated, including contaminated soil, brick pavers and the tree stumps of the old Toomer's Oaks.
The right southbound lane of South College Street will be temporarily closed during construction and the crosswalks at the immediate intersections of Magnolia and College.
"We've rerouted the crosswalks to the mid-block crossings," Riese said. "The construction site will extend beyond the sidewalks and the intersection of Magnolia, so we needed to move traffic and want to make sure that nobody's trying to cross at those immediate intersections."
The expanded Toomer's Corner will feature a circular pavilion behind the traditional gates to the school and expanded sidewalks leading through Samford Park.
Phase 1 includes removing the contaminated soil still under the corner, replacing the pavers around it and constructing the circular seat wall that will sit behind the gates.
The eagles that rest on top of the gates will be temporarily removed on Thursday, March 27, by the historic preservation specialists the Lathan Company and stored on campus until construction is finished.
Phase 1 of the construction process is slated for completion by fall 2014.
Phase 2, which includes the planting of the new trees, will not take place until 2015.
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