Students living near Coffin Street have little need for alarm clocks. Recent construction work has been waking them up early and leaving them feeling weary.
Despite the best efforts of the College and the contractors who it hires, noise pollution from the South Street and Coffin Street site of the two future first-year dorms has disturbed and distracted residents of nearby buildings.
Students living in Stowe Hall, Howard Hall, and Ladd House have been awoken by work as early as 5:00 a.m.
Karina van Schaardenburg '07 said, "I live Howard and the construction has woken me up about every third morning all year. The worst thing about it is that it's continuous and loud, so it's completely impossible to go back to sleep after they start work."
The College administration insists that it is doing its best to ensure minimal disturbance to students.
"As far as what we do to keep the sound [from construction work] to a minimum, [we make sure that] the contractors all know what's around them," Bowdoin's Director of Capital Projects Don Borkowski said.
The College also insists that the workers follow Town of Brunswick ordinances, which include a rule that states, "Noise associated with construction may achieve a maximum equivalent sound level measured in [a decibel measure] of 75 between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m."
Recently, sound levels were measured at various distances from the site and all readings fell "well below" 75 adjusted decibels, according to Borkowski.
That news provides little solace for those who are awakened by the construction every morning.
"The noise is...often so loud during the day that I can't stay in my dorm room very long before getting a headache," Howard resident Gina Campelia '07 said.
At times, "it's pretty difficult to deal with," she added.
Administrators sympathize but insist that with construction "noise is inevitable." According to Borkowski, "It's going to happen."
"I think the important thing is that we'll do our best to minimize the disruption to the campus," Dean of Student Affairs Craig Bradley said.
Borkowski said the College tried to minimize disruption to the campus during the renovation of the Chapel's towers.
"We went out and bought the quietest generator on the market to run an electric tower crane?so we didn't have a diesel engine running out there?because we knew we were going to have to be putting in some long days to meet the schedule," he said.
Noise from the first-year dorm site has become louder than usual recently since workers have been drilling wells. The drilling equipment is less then five yards away from Ladd House and, according to proctor Steve Gogolak '05, "people have definitely been complaining about [the noise]."
Despite complaints, construction will continue. The issue may continue during the next academic year, when the College begins renovations on two sides of the Quad. Renovations will begin soon on the Walker Art Building and likely Appleton and Hyde Halls.
"Preserving and enhancing the quality of the campus is an important thing to do," Bradley said. "It is kind of a fact of life on a campus like this" that wants high-quality facilities.
Any students who are disturbed by construction noise earlier than 7:00 a.m. or later than 7:00 p.m. should call Facilities Management at extension 3445.