The Academic commons building is right on schedule to be completed in December of 2013. The building, upon completion, will be 43,079 square feet and three stories high, said Rex Tucker, site superintendent of the Academic Commons Building project.

“I couldn’t be prouder for all the work that these men and women have put into this project, especially the speed that it’s being constructed in,” said Tucker. “They’ve (done) an amazing job.”

All the mechanical work has been finished and the painting on the first floor has begun, Tucker said. He also said the brick masons were almost done.

The building will feature have a storm sewer system and retaining walls that should alleviate any flooding problems that might occur. 

The building will house a variety of businesses, including Frostbite frozen yogurt, Chick-Fil-A, Starbucks, Listerhill bank, the new UNA bookstore and several other venues, said Lee Handley, the project director at UNA.

 The cost of the building is $7.67 million, he said.

Francellua Hill, a UNA student, said she hopes more parking spaces will be built to accommodate the shortage of spaces caused by the new on campus building.

 “It’s already frustrating enough trying to find a parking place,” said Hill. “With the new building they definitely need more parking.”

There will be an additional 62 parking places, including the ones that have been closed during construction, Handley said.

Other students are excited for the new building upcoming arrival.

“I have a coffee addiction and to be honest Einstein’s is not cutting it,” said Stormy Dae Morgan, also a student at UNA. “With the long lines it is a hassle to wait in the mornings during the rush before class. With Starbucks, at least the Einstein’s business will cut in half and transfer to Starbucks, so both places should have easy lines to maneuver through.”          

She said she is concerned that Einstein’s and other on-campus dining options will lose business, though she is excited for the new offerings.

“In addition, I think it will be nice to have a new place for studying and hanging with friends,” she said.

Matthew Jones, a UNA student, said he believes the business the new building will bring to campus will be a great asset to the university, as well as the city of Florence.

“It’s going to be weird that we have a new building on campus seeing as its my first new building to experience,” Jones said. “As for the construction being done early, I think that is awesome. I know it took a while to get the ball rolling on dealing ground, but I commemorate and thank all of the maintenance and building crew on all their hard work. It means a lot to me because I get to experience for a little longer than expected seeing as I’m graduating in May.”

Editor’s note: News Editor Pace Holdbrooks contributed to the report of this story.