With the continued pounding, scraping and beeping of machinery, many students wonder what all the commotion is around Sherman and Wohlleben halls.

According to Leslie Groesbeck, assistant director of the Department of Facilities Management, Planning and Construction Management, the two science buildings are being merged into one.

The work currently underway is the second phase of a three-phase project.

'Phase one is work that we've done in both buildings for the last 10 years,' Groesbeck said. 'Phase two is what you see going on now, and phase three will be to polish up the renovations when we get this completed.'

The most obvious change being made in the second phase is the connecting hall between the buildings. The new integrated center will include a handicap accessible entrance, an atrium and gathering area, a shared instrumentation lab, shared seminar room, shared computer room and shared classroom. Also in the new area will be new classrooms for geology and biology as well as two biology and two chemistry labs.

Existing spaces are now being updated. Renovations are being made to Wohlleben's four general chemistry labs, office suites, faculty offices and utilities.

All these changes add up to $22 million. The project is funded by $17 million in loans that will be paid off over the next 25 years and another $5 million in gift money, according to Thomas Burkhardt, vice president for finance and administrative services.

Some unusual incidents have caused headaches but have not pushed the project past its budget, according to Groesbeck.

'Barring any more unusual surprises, we're on budget,' Groesbeck said.

The first problem was discovered during an early dig, when workers uncovered an active storm sewer between Sherman and Wohlleben that the city of Dayton had no record of.

'They didn't know it was there,' Groesbeck said.

After negotiations with the city, the sewer was finally rebuilt 18 feet below its original location.

Excavation for that project unearthed another unpleasant surprise. Workers found residual fuel oil in the soil from the building's original boiler that was removed in the 1970s.

'It stopped our work for about a week while they dug all that out and got it tested,' Groesbeck said.

Workers also recently discovered mercury in the vents of Wohlleben hall that slowed construction.

Despite these unusual findings, the biggest problem facing the project has been noise, according to Groesbeck.

'Whether it's in the buildings where instructors are trying to teach, or with the work they're doing between the buildings, there's just nothing we can do about that,' she said. 'We're doing the best we can, and people are putting up with us the best that they can.'