If you have managed to shift your attention beyond the new Panera Bread store while driving on Sycamore Road, you may have noticed a great deal of construction work being done.

The area, known as Northland Plaza on Sycamore Road, is undergoing major renovations and additions, allowing for expanded commercial use.

“We have two big buildings going up on the northeast corner,” said Brett Johnson, superintendent with Pepper Construction. Pepper Construction is the general contractor for the project and is based out of Barrington.

Johnson said renovations are currently in the third phase of construction. The first phase consisted of redoing all the utilities in the plaza.

“We brought in all new water, sewer and storm drains,” Johnson said.

Phase two was comprised of the front entry and the front building of the lot, currently housing Panera Bread.

Johnson expects the current construction to be finished sometime in the fall.

Junior computer science major Peter Nguyen said the additions are a good idea.

“As the town gets bigger, it will be good for the students,” Nguyen said.

Laura Rapacz, a senior nutrition and dietetics major, agreed.

“The more DeKalb has, the more the students will enjoy DeKalb,” Rapacz said.

She said she thought every new business is exciting for all the people.

Joseph Freed and Associates manages and owns, in part, Northland Plaza. Allen Saposnik, vice president of Development for Joseph Freed and Associates, said they plan on building out the rest of the property.

But not everyone agrees with the plan to further development.

“I don’t think we’re starving for new development,” said Brandon Sharas, a junior time arts major.

Sharas did say, however, he thought development should happen more toward the campus than out on Sycamore Road.