During this construction, students walking between North Halls and the Forum Building will be rerouted around the construction area's perimeter, either behind the Palmer Museum of Art or through the tree-dense area west of North Halls.

Travis Burke, president of North Halls Association of Students, said these pathways have insufficient lighting and are unsafe.

"There are already a lot of concerns with assaults," he said. "Construction and funneling students into pathways could increase assaults. Light helps, but the volume of foot traffic helps more."

Design plans for the SALA project have been in progress for four years and construction has just started after a delay. Construction was postponed in spring 2003 because the university couldn't find a qualified contractor, said Rick Riccardo, former SALA project manager.

"The building wasn't bid in the normal process for the university," Riccardo said. "We wanted a contractor that was guaranteed to be familiar with 'green building.' "

The SALA building will be the first new university building certified as "environmentally friendly, sustainable architecture," according to the College of Arts and Architecture Web site. Its brick facade will have low-energy glass windows and recycled copper. The interior will use wood instead of artificial materials. The new building will house classrooms, office space, design studios and an architecture library.

Although Penn State negotiated with contractors longer than expected, there was no monetary loss for the university, Ricardo said.

Some North Halls residents are annoyed by the construction.

"I hate it," said Doug Firely (freshman-wildlife and fishery science), a resident of Leete Hall. "They took our open space. There's nowhere to play football or basketball. The noise wakes me up. We can't even talk."

Four basketball courts, three tennis courts and a volleyball court have already been eliminated. Only two basketball courts and a sand volleyball court will be rebuilt.

"The goal is to get the courts online as soon as possible," Burke said. "We want them by fall 2004."

The new $27.5 million SALA Building will be constructed between the Palmer Museum of Art and North Halls. It will be named after H. Campbell "Cal" Stuckeman and his wife, the late Eleanor Stuckeman, who donated $10 million toward the project.

Also being built is a 128-car staff parking lot, which will have 35 fewer spaces than the previous lot.

"It just doesn't make sense to start now," said Brian Hewitt (freshman-film and video), a resident of Leete Hall. "How are they going to finish with snow?"