Residential complex Smith Quad served us well, acting as home to our male students from 1951, when Austin/Wheeler was built, to 1995, when we closed the complex, but it's time for new housing arrangements.

Demolition of the Smith Quad complex began last month with the removal of the buildings' shingles and wood trim; the major teardown is already almost over. Demolition specialists Millennium Wrecking Inc. have spent several weeks pulling the buildings apart bit by bit in order to better manage the disposal of construction materials. The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of the month, after which the site will be graveled to use as a parking lot for commuter students this fall.

Ultimately, the site is earmarked for a new School of Nursing building; in June, university officials launched a capital campaign to raise funds for the new building.

The demolition crew will move on to the site of the old Nursing Building once work is done at Smith Quad. Formerly the old campus school, that building was condemned in 2001. Work there is expected to be complete by Sept. 1, and the cleared site also will be graveled for parking.

In the meantime, our new freshman residential complex at the corner of Dixie and 9th opened for business in January, providing more — and modernized — space for resident students.