July 2021 Construction Update

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:

I hope everyone is enjoying the summer months. During these quieter times on campus, many construction and renovation projects are underway, as we prepare for the return of students and the start of another busy academic year. Teams within Campus Planning, Design and Construction (CPDC) are working on a range of projects—from ADA improvements and utility upgrades to building improvements—to enhance our campus living and learning environments.

Here is a rundown of the projects:

119 Euclid Ave. ADA Improvements: A new elevator is being installed and an ADA accessible restroom is being renovated at 119 Euclid Ave. The work is expected to be completed in the fall.

113 Euclid Ave. ADA Improvements: The work at 113 Euclid Ave., in a joint effort with the work at 119 Euclid Ave., is underway to install a new elevator and an ADA accessible entrance and ramp. The work is planned to be finished in the fall.

Winnick Hillel Renovations: Interior improvements are being made at the Winnick Hillel Center and are planned to be done before the start of the fall semester.

Center for Science and Technology Lab 0-032 Modifications: Construction is beginning this month to upgrade Lab 0-032 to prepare the space for two new research faculty cluster hires, along with the shared use of Lab 0-036. Construction will be completed in the fall.

37 Registrar Classroom AV Upgrades: The University’s Learning Environments group is working in 37 registrar classrooms on campus this summer, replacing and upgrading the audiovisual systems in these spaces.

Campus Accessibility—Physical Access Plan: Annual funding has been allocated to address accessibility throughout campus. CPDC is prioritizing projects and identifying accessibility issues. Design will begin for a new group of projects that will occur throughout the year. Additional information will be shared regarding each improvement as the program is finalized and design is completed.

804 University Ave./111 Waverly Ave.: The design is complete for improvements to these two facilities. The project was recently awarded to a contractor to begin construction. Upgrades are planned to allow the University to relocate some units of Academic Affairs and Enrollment and the Student Experience to these buildings. Relocating staff to these buildings will improve adjacencies and make room on campus for academic priorities in Steele Hall, Bowne Hall and the Women’s Building.

Physics Building Primary Electrical Upgrades: The Physics Building primary electric switch is being replaced to improve reliability and serviceability. A building power outage is planned for November to minimize the impact on the building’s occupants.

Bird Library: Work on Bird Library 550, the new Center for Teaching and Learning Excellence, is in progress. In addition, a north entrance site and building entry improvement project is underway. The improvements include new entry sidewalks with snowmelt. The north entrance will be closed during the work and anyone accessing the building will need to use the south entrance (closest to the Einhorn Family Walk). The project is planned to be completed before the start of the fall semester.

College Place Crosswalk Paver Replacement: The first phase of the crosswalk replacement at College Place is occurring this week and requires closure to through traffic on College Place for two days. Permit holders for the College Place lot will enter via Euclid Avenue. Permit holders for the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center lot will enter via University Place. Permit holders for the Lyman-Hinds lot, which is closed for chilled water installation to Machinery Hall, will continue to park in the College Place lot. Limited access to the Lyman-Hinds lot will be maintained for accessible parking only, with entry via University Place. The second phase of the project is tentatively scheduled to begin Tuesday, Aug. 10, and will last for three days, with closure of all through traffic. For both phases, Centro will establish a temporary bus stop on Comstock Avenue. Please refer to the Parking and Transportation Services website for additional information.

Schine Student Center Exterior Improvements: Improvements at the Waverly Avenue entrance of the Schine Student Center will include concrete pavers with an integrated snowmelt system and landscaping to better define the building entry. Construction of a new patio on the Einhorn Family Walk side of the building will include furniture and provide additional seating for the Schine dining area. Work is scheduled to be completed in early August.

Huntington Beard Crouse Hall, Gifford Auditorium Power Upgrades: Upgrades are being made to the Gifford Auditorium electrical infrastructure. There will be brief power outages to areas within the building. The work will be complete in August.

Site/Utility Projects: We are completing multiple site/utility projects on campus this summer, in coordination with the Steam Station.

  • Machinery Hall Chilled Water Service: Installation of chilled water service to Machinery Hall is underway. The work connects Machinery Hall to the central chilled water plant, allowing for reliable cooling of the Information Technology Services data server rooms. The work will take approximately four weeks. During installation, chilled water lines will need to cross Smith Drive, north of Machinery Hall. Smith Drive will be closed, along with access to the Lyman-Hinds parking lot, this week. Next week, one lane will be open on Smith Drive to maintain access to the parking lot.
  • Front Lawn Between Tolley and the Einhorn Family Walk: Our team is working on an emergency condensate repair which includes sidewalk replacement. This work is planned for completion by early August.
  • Quad Lot: The Quad Lot project involves numerous utility replacements. Site restoration is underway, including complete replacements of the entrances to Eggers Hall and the Falk Complex with snowmelt systems. The work will be completed before the start of the fall semester.
  • Forestry Drive: Steam distribution piping is being replaced along the north side of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry’s Illick Hall and at the entrance plaza of Sadler Hall. Forestry Drive is closed at the Raynor Avenue and Irving Avenue intersect ion and is planned to reopen in mid-August. Numerous pedestrian detours are in place as the site footprint evolves. All work on Forestry Drive is planned to be complete before the fall semester.
  • Raynor Avenue: The chilled water installation project along Raynor Avenue has progressed to the crossing of Irving Avenue, which included a closure of the intersection. The intersection work will be complete by mid-August and the overall project will be complete by the start of our fall semester.
  • Almond Street: The utility project is well underway along Almond Street between Toomey Abbott Towers and the Steam Station. Work will be completed in this area by the fall.

Stadium Renovations: The stadium renovation project continues this summer with site restoration in areas around the building. Final restoration efforts for Walt’s former crane pad, on the west side of the building, are wrapping up. At the south end of the site, installation of a new chilled water piping feed to the building will provide additional capacity for cooling. Restoration efforts are also underway in Hendricks Field. Inside the building, the project team is completing renovations to four more concession stands, as well as additional lighting upgrades throughout the building.

936 E. Genesee Street Roof Replacement: Work to replace the roof at 936 E. Genesee Street is approximately 50% complete and will be completed in August.

Soccer Stadium Retaining Wall: The existing retaining wall in the southeast corner of the soccer field is under construction. The work includes replacing the wall and storm drainage improvements. During construction, the Manley Field House driveway at the Skytop Road intersection will be closed. The project is on schedule to be completed in early August.

Green Data Center: A chiller replacement to supply reliable cooling is planned for this fall.

Dellplain Hall: Phased work in Dellplain Hall continues this summer. Work is underway to update the first through fifth floor lounges and elevator lobbies. This work includes new flooring, AV equipment and air conditioning. All floor lounges will have air conditioning when the project is complete. The work will be completed by Aug. 6 before students return.

410 South Crouse Avenue: A full building interior upgrade project is underway and includes new finishes. Construction will continue through the fall with project completion and building occupancy planned for November 2021.

Heroy Geology Laboratory and Falk Complex Railings: A project to replace the railings between Heroy and the Stadium is underway. In addition, railings are being replaced at the Grant Auditorium entrance of the Falk Complex. Both projects will be complete by the beginning of the fall semester.

Other projects across campus include the following:

  • Quad sidewalk replacement will take place in late July and early August. Three areas will be fenced, and pedestrians will be directed around the work.
  • Replacement of the Women’s Building north entrance sidewalk is underway.
  • Upgrades are being made to the front porch of 206 Walnut Place.
  • A project team is working on installing new replacement carbon monoxide detectors across campus.
  • The sprinkler system at the Center for International Services will be upgraded this fall.
  • A multi-phase window replacement project is underway at the College of Professional Studies (formerly University College).
  • Parking lot repairs are planned at Winding Ridge. Local closures of lots will be required.
  • Repairs are being made to the existing brick masonry retaining walls at the south end of the Women’s Building and the wall along Comstock Avenue. The work will be complete by August.
  • Improvement projects to Lawrinson, Brewster Boland and Comstock garages are underway. No closures are planned.
  • A project to upgrade the access and security equipment in the University Avenue Garage is in progress, with work to begin in August. The work will impact entrances to the garage, but the garage will remain open.
  • Repairs are underway to the Goldstein Alumni and Faculty Center patio and associated structural supports. The work will be complete before the start of the fall semester.

For everyone’s safety, I encourage you to remain alert in work areas, watch for route changes, heed construction flagger directions and follow the pedestrian signs.

In addition, I would like to remind everyone that as construction progresses things can change quickly. We encourage you to regularly visit the Syracuse University News website, where information that may affect you and your time on campus is posted regularly. Our team also sends detailed communications when work may affect building occupants—so please take time to read any email you receive from cpdc@syr.edu.

If you have any construction-related questions, comments or suggestions, please email cpdc@syr.edu. For parking concerns, call Parking and Transportation 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 Campus Facilities Officer