Empty space is all that occupies the corner of University and Berry, where so much attention was focused just more than one year ago.And that space may remain empty a little longer.

Llisa Lewis, manager of the TCU Bookstore, said the groundbreaking ceremony for the new bookstore was supposed to be March 4, but, because of difficulties with permits, the groundbreaking has been pushed back to an undetermined future time.

Lewis said some permit difficulties, such as finding a new route for the power lines, have come about because the project has grown so much since its inception.

Lewis said things should pick up in the near future because the project foreman will be on site April 20.

“Things will go quickly once the project gets its legs on the ground,” Lewis said.

The new expected completion date is February 2008, Lewis said.

But the bookstore staff and the students sitting out on the curbs March 29, 2006, haven’t forgotten what it was like to watch the old building burn.

David Yee, bookstore assistant manager, said he thought it was the temporary bookstore on fire when he got the call from the police at 2 a.m.

He remembered being told, “You need to come down here, it’s a big one.”

But, once he arrived, he spent the next six hours watching the big building burn along with rows of students.

Rob Hopkins, a junior marketing major, said he’ll remember it for a long time.

“I never thought of any TCU building on fire,” Hopkins said. “It was weird.”

Lewis said she remembered some students crying as the night had a very surreal feeling to it.

But, Lewis said, it has been a good thing that time has passed before building the new bookstore.

Before the building completely came down, Lewis said, it was spooky to have students walking into the store with remnants of the old one still blowing in the air.

On the other hand, Lewis said, now a new phoenix is rising from Frog ashes.