Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
First-year and transfer student move-in is rapidly approaching, and Campus Facilities is busily wrapping up summer construction and ensuring our beautiful campus is looking its best for our new and returning students and their families.
This week I would like to highlight a few projects that will be completed in the next two weeks, as well as inform you of a few projects that you will see continue into the fall semester. Updates this week include:
- Brewster/Boland/Brockway: The installation of new carpet in the corridors and lounge areas is complete.
- Carnegie Library: Renovations to library staff areas, including a conference room and single-occupant accessible restroom, will be complete this month.
- Crouse College Bells: Preparatory work will be occurring this week, in anticipation of a crane being onsite on Aug. 17 and 18 to install the four new bells in the Crouse College Bell Tower. The bell installation will wrap up the last week of August.
- Haven, Flint and DellPlain halls: The major renovation work in these three residence halls is coming to a close and I’m pleased by how much work was accomplished in a short period of time. Fire alarm testing and certification is wrapping up; tile is being installed in the new bathrooms; and new flooring and paint will complete the new look in these residence halls. Final certificates of completion from the city are also anticipated this week.
- Heroy Suite 333: Furniture is being moved into Heroy Suite 333, a new space created for the National Science Foundation Research Traineeship Program.
- University Place Promenade: The Promenade will likely be complete Aug. 22. After last week’s successful concrete pours, bricks are being set rapidly, with the plinths being completed first. The area around the Q-2 Parking Lot has been completed and looks great. The final construction effort will focus on the two ends at South Crouse Avenue and College Place.
- Washington Arms: The interior renovations of the first floor of Washington Arms are now complete, slightly ahead of schedule. The newly configured space created three additional rooms and a student study lounge. One of the three new rooms is fully accessible, with an accessible bathroom. The exterior stairway improvements and landscaping are ongoing. This work will be complete during the week of Aug. 15.
As I previously mentioned, some work will continue into the new academic year, including:
- Center for Science and Technology Siding Replacement: Though the dry summer allowed us to move along more quickly than anticipated, the replacement of the siding at CST will continue into the fall with limited impact on the campus community.
- Crouse College Masonry and Sloped Glazing Repair: Masonry improvements are continuing at Crouse College, with some work expected to last into the fall. However, procurement of a new glass material to best match the antique glass of the sloped glazing skylight has been a bit tricky. If we cannot find the right product, we will make the skylight presentable and weather tight while we find the appropriate solution to maintain the historic character of this building.
- Link Hall Accessible Ramp and Auditorium Improvements: The construction of the new ramped entry is underway. The new accessible auditorium entry has been cut through, and construction on the new lobby will commence shortly. These improvements will be complete in the fall semester.
- Sims Hall Exterior Stairs: Site restoration of the north side of Sims will be complete next week, as foundations and stair bases are complete on the east side with site restoration to follow. Granite treads will be installed on these heated stairs over the course of the fall semester, closing no more than one entry at any given time.
- Schine Student Center Glass Door Replacement: New doors to replace all the glass doors at the Schine Student Center will arrive in the next two weeks. These doors will be installed one at a time, the particular scheduling sensitivity being paid to the main entry doors. This project will also add scheduled locking and card access on all doors at the building, a feature that is installed on almost all other University facilities. Additionally, half of the brick leading to the south entry to the Schine Student Center will be replaced as part of the Promenade project, and the other half will be replaced at the time the doors are replaced.
- 900 E. Genesee St. Painting and Window Replacement: Exterior siding and painting at Phoebe’s will take place into September, as will second-floor window replacements at a number of University locations on East Genesee Street.
This week, the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction will host its final summer construction information session. The session is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 10, at 9:30 a.m. in Lyman Auditorium. For more information, please visit SU News. I hope you can join us.
Having received such positive feedback on our summer construction information sessions, we will continue to host construction update meetings throughout the academic year. The first two meetings are scheduled for Aug. 23 and Sept. 22. An announcement will follow with more details. These meetings will continue to give the campus community an opportunity to learn more about current construction activity, as well as plans for semester break construction and construction next summer.
As a reminder, please visit CampusFramework.syr.edu. There you’ll find the draft Campus Framework, the popular live construction camera and a public comment section.
If you have any construction-related questions, comments or suggestions, please email cpdc@syr.edu. For parking concerns, call Parking and Transit Services at 443-4652. And, if you have questions pertaining to accessibility, contact Aaron Hodukavich, director and ADA coordinator in the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services, at 443-2377 or ajhoduka@syr.edu.
Sincerely,
Pete Sala
Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer