The development of Lake Forest Academy’s new student union building has brought on some unforeseen problems but everything is still going according to plan. The building should be enclosed by late December so the workers can work on the interior and then turn the finished product over to LFA by mid July.

This construction will cost nine million dollars and a large portion of that money has been donated by parents and alumni. However, not all of the building costs have been raised.

“We’re in the process–we have a big chunk of it,” said newly appointed Chief Financial Officer, Mike Reidy. “We have raised enough that the board felt comfortable moving forward with the project.”

The development of the new student union has also brought on some unexpected problems. While digging up the ground, the builders found an unknown cable that was responsible for the northwest part of campus’s internet and telephone connection. The IT department and a specialized contractor were able to relocate this cable.

The builders also ran into a massive concrete vault which was thought to be a water reservoir or well.

“It dates back close to 100 years–we had no idea it was there,” said Reidy. “It went from 12 feet underground to about 30 feet underground.”

Engineers had to be brought in but the vault didn’t have to be dug up minimizing the delay in the construction of the building. The builders had to break the vault and then fill it with small rocks they had compacted to create a stable area for the building to lay on top of.

There are no official plans for the current student center and hutch, but the downstairs will likely be turned into offices while the upstairs will become the new practice area for orchestra. The smaller rooms in the current student center such as the student store and Sonia’s snack shop will be great for the orchestra because they can be used as smaller practice and storage rooms.

“It would be a great place for the music department to take over,” said Reidy.

Reidy also stated that the current student center would be a better practice area for the orchestra because it would be a place solely dedicated to them rather than the current practice area they have in the Cressey lobby.