The most visible change to the townhouse construction site lately — the stripping of the area’s topsoil — is a step that supports largely invisible aspect of construction, including utilities and fine grading. Those steps are now complete. In the following weeks, there will start to be piles of fill dirt and dug-out foundations for the Townhouses on the site. These are, of course, temporary — here only until concrete is successfully poured where it needs to be.

The site of the Townhouses will not be without grass forever. Currently it needs to remain as exposed dirt for digging and equipment access. Landscaping is the final component, and will be complete next summer. Along the street, grass has been planted in the median not only for aesthetic purposes, but to keep dirt in place as construction crews and equipment pass over the street to each job site. In this space, project planners have been able to retain the old trees, which are healthy and happy.

St. Olaf is a campus known for its beauty. The Townhouses and Residence Hall will not be an exception. As exteriors are constructed, masonry installed, and landscaping complete, Oles and local residents will be able to see how the design of these buildings fits with the existing architecture on the Hill.