As convocation and Commencement celebrations begin later this week, I’d like to extend my best wishes to all of our graduating students and their families. I hope you will always remember the natural beauty of our campus and the eclectic charm of our buildings among your collegiate memories.
The summer months offer Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) teams a great opportunity to continue to improve our campus—both inside and outside of the classroom. There are important road closures and other campus travel modifications included in this message. The following is a list of construction projects that are active now, as well as a few highlighted summer construction projects:
ADA Space Accessibility: There are many ADA updates underway to residence halls, academic buildings and other campus facilities. Sidewalks, curb cut and door hardware (replacing knobs with lever sets) replacements are underway across campus. This is an ongoing effort. For the projects identified below, construction will be complete by the end of summer.
- Brockway Plaza and Dining Renovations: CPDC is installing an accessible ramp, accessible dining hall counters and adding two accessible restrooms.
- Day Hall: CPDC teams are currently completing the renovation of 16 accessible restrooms, and improving the accessibility of over 100 student rooms.
- Hall of Languages Classroom Renovations: CPDC teams are renovating five classrooms, all of which will be equipped with new accessible classroom technology.
- Maxwell Auditorium: An ADA auto door operator will be installed.
- Physics Building: An all-gender accessible restroom will be installed.
- Regent Theater Complex: Handrails will be installed in the Archbold Theater.
Residence Hall Improvements: This summer the following halls will undergo enhancements:
- Brewster, Brockway and Boland Plaza Renovations: Renovations to the existing plaza, including the construction of an accessible ramp to Brockway dining, new pavers, landscaping and outdoor furniture.
- Brockway Dining Hall: Full renovation of the dining area, including updated finishes, new furniture and a revised servery layout with additional food options.
- Day Hall: Bathroom renovations will convert communal bathrooms into single-user accessible restrooms. Upgrades include student room finishes and new furniture.
- Lyons Hall: Upgrades to student room finishes, new wardrobe closets and new lounge furniture.
Hall of Languages Classroom Renovations: This summer’s project is composed of Phase Two renovations to five classrooms on the west side of the building. Similar to last year’s improvements, these classrooms will receive updated finishes and new classroom AV technology.
Campus Utility Upgrades: Utility work around campus will pause for Commencement activities and then restart and continue throughout the summer.
- In the area of the Sadler Circle and the Dome loading dock existing steam and condensate lines, and a steam vault will be replaced along Forestry Drive. A temporary road will be constructed to shift traffic slightly to the west to allow work to occur in Forestry Drive and maintain access to and from Irving Avenue from this area of campus and the SUNY ESF campus.
- Utility work in the lawn area on the west side of Newhouse is complete. Restoration of this area will be complete prior to Commencement.
- Utility upgrades in the Q-1 parking lot will continue throughout the summer. Work will progress from Q-1 along the front of Heroy, along the west and south side of Steele Hall toward the Quad. This work is scheduled to be completed in August prior to the start of the fall semester.
- Utility work along University Place from the entrance of the Hillside lot to South Crouse Drive will begin immediately after Commencement. Upgrades to our underground steam utilities will include pedestrian improvements to the Hillside lot.
- Storm drainage piping along Stadium Place from the East Raynor Avenue intersection to Lawrinson Hall will be constructed from mid-May to early June. Work on this storm system will continue throughout the summer between Sadler Hall loading dock and Lawrinson Hall up to Hendricks Field.
Archbold Gymnasium: Demolition work is nearing completion on the interior spaces. Exterior demolition of the southern portion commenced in April. To safely complete renovation work, the driveway and sidewalk between Archbold and the Dome will be closed through August 2019. Please note that utility construction associated with the Archbold project will close Sims Drive between Flanagan Gymnasium and Archbold Gymnasium from May 14 to August 20, 2018. Renovation of Archbold includes the creation of the Barnes Center at The Arch, a new state-of-the-art health, wellness and recreation complex. The building is scheduled to open in fall 2019.
National Veterans Resource Center (NVRC): Excavation for the NVRC building’s foundation is nearing completion. In the coming weeks crews will begin to pour the concrete foundation walls. While you are away from campus check out the views from the construction camera and get the latest building updates on the NVRC website. The building is scheduled to open in spring 2020.
A full listing of summer construction projects is updated and listed by building on the Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) website. Please refer to this website periodically to see what is occurring across campus, and feel free to reach out to the CPDC manager assigned with any questions you may have. For everyone’s safety, I encourage you to remain alert in work areas for route changes, follow the pedestrian signs and visit the CPDC Impact/Road Closure webpage for additional information.
If you have any construction-related questions, comments or suggestions, please email cpdc@syr.edu. For parking concerns, call Parking and Transit Services at 315.443.4652.
If you have questions pertaining to accessibility, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity, Inclusion and Resolution Services at 315.443.4018, ADA@syr.edu, or equalopp@syr.edu.
Sincerely,
Pete Sala
Vice President and Chief Facilities Officer