Construction is affecting Diablo Valley College students both on and around campus.

Flint Construction completed the new cafeteria over the summer and is continuing with The Commons Project.

The new cafeteria opened in August, and Food Service Manager George Delfabro said,  “Everything is gorgeous; it’s efficient, it’s beautiful.”

Students are also enjoying the new space: “It’s new and it’s pretty convenient, and a nice place to meet friends,” Richard Lane, 18, said.

Lane also said the food is really good but also confessed that, “so far, I’ve only been getting chicken wraps.”

Lynnsae Van Liew, a 19-year-old culinary student, affirmed that the second floor of the new building is just as cool as downstairs.

For her, the new equipment is the best part of the upgrade for the Culinary Department.

Van Liew says that the express line and the Norseman should be open by the end of September, serving food prepared by the culinary students.

The Basement Cafe, located beneath the Student Union, will be reopening in December. “It’s just difficult to get there right now,” Delfabro said.

Access to the Student Union building is limited to two roundabout passages because of the construction, but according to Vice President of Finance and Administration John Nahlen it should be accessible by mid-late October.

As the construction crew lays pavers from the cafeteria to the Student Union Building the obstructive fence will move back, explained Nahlen.

The estimated completion date for the new commons area and amphitheater is January of 2015, but Nahlen said that they are working hard to finish as soon as possible.

Is this inconvenience going to be worth it, and what will be the primary function of the common area?

“This is basically the new center of campus, the commons area, that’s the way it was designed. So, from that commons area, you should have access to just about all the main areas of campus…it will be a great place for students to relax, gather and host events,”  Nahlen said.

In addition to the on-campus construction, the city of Pleasant Hill is working on the Golf Club Road Bridge Replacement Project.

The project has increased the amount of traffic on Golf Club Road, so the city has advised students to take an alternate route to campus.

This is scheduled to go on through October of 2014, take a winter break and resume in April 2015.