Construction News for
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Temporary Walkway East of the Student Union and South of the Campus Center Now Closed Construction site fence lines at the New Academic Classroom Building project have begun to change (see map, left). The walkway on the east side of the Student Union (the westerly side of the construction site) is now closed. The temporary pedestrian route from points to and from Hasbrouck/Campus Center in the north and Du Bois/Student Union in the south are no longer open to through traffic. The construction site fence is also being expanded northward, closing the temporary pedestrian route on the south side of the Campus Center. A pedestrian "bridge" will be put in place to facilitate traffic between the west side of Hasbrouck and the Campus Center. This fence line configuration is expected to remain in place through December, 2013. Also this week, a northeast section of the construction fence will be expanded north along the east side of Hasbrouck and east into North Pleasant Street. Both lanes of North Pleasant Street will be shifted eastward to accommodate utility and site work. The road will be reduced to one lane/alternating traffic this week while the lane shift is being built. The resulting fence line and lane shift is expected to remain in place through September, 2013. Campus Pond Walkway
The walkway across the north end of the Campus Pond will remain closed
throughout construction. Walking east-west will require traveling around
the Pond at the south end (Fine Arts Center), or traveling through or
around Hasbrouck Lab and the Campus Center to the north. In some cases,
this may add extra travel time, but we're hoping to minimize that by
laying out clear and reliable alternate routes to and from various
points on campus. Questions about this project should be directed to the project manager, Jeff Quackenbush at 5-6453 or jquacken@facil.umass.edu. For more information about this project, see the Academic Classroom Building Project information page. | |
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Upper/Lower Hicks Way Intersection Now Re-opened The intersection of Upper and Lower Hicks Way has re-opened to regular vehicle traffic. The area is still congested with construction activity, however, so caution is advised. Phase 2 Under Way A second phase of the Central Campus Infrastructure Project has begun at and around Dickinson Hall (see map, center left). The accessible entry/exit at the southeast corner of Dickinson will be maintained for the duration of the project. Some noise is expected to be associated with the work. Fence lines are expected to be in place through March. The first phase involving a construction zone east and north of the Du Bois Library is on-going (see map, bottom left). Critical pedestrian paths will be maintained along the southeast corner of Machmer Hall and south of the Student Union. Questions and comments about this project should be directed to the UMass Facilities project manager, Jason Venditti, at 413-326-1661 or venditti@facil.umass.edu. More information about the Central Campus Infrastructure project can be found on the project information page. |
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Commonwealth Honors College Residential Complex
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Note that work periods are expected to include Saturdays and Sundays for specific activities. Utility Work and Detours Lower Hicks Way may be occasionally restricted to one lane for alternating east/west traffic during working hours. Tobin Road will remain closed until summer. Deliveries to Tobin should be made via the Lot 71 route, and an alternative delivery/access route to Boyden will be located on the south side of the building. Speed Limit Reduced on Commonwealth Ave. Due to heavy construction activity and traffic associated with the Commonwealth Honors College Residential Project, the speed limit on Commonwealth Avenue between Massachusetts Avenue and Campus Center Way has been reduced to 20MPH. This speed limit is being strictly enforced by the UMass Police. As a designated "work zone," fines for speeding in the area will be doubled. The reduced speed limit will be in effect until further notice. Questions concerning campus traffic law enforcement should be directed to the UMass Police Department at 545-2121. Questions about this project should be directed to the Facilities Planning project manager, Andy Soles, at 5-6464 or asoles@admin.umass.edu. A YouTube video about the project, produced by the UMass Amherst Office of News & Media Relations, can be found here. |
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Hampshire DC Renovation
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Renovation work is underway. Fence lines have been established on the west and south sides of the building, including the loading dock/parking section (see diagram, left). Access for waste disposal (from Coolidge) will be maintained. Construction activity, along with attendant noise, will mostly be contained in the interior of the building. Nevertheless, some construction noise may be evident, especially during periods of heavy demolition and rooftop (mechanical system) work. Truck traffic to and from the site on the Southwest ellipse may also be heavy during demolition periods. |
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'Final Sitework Plan' A "Final Sitework Phasing and Fencing Plan" has been provided by the contractor for the LSL indicating several fence line changes taking place in August. Most notably, the northern-most end of Stockbridge Road will be closed to all non-emergency vehicles after August 13 (note the purple fence line shown on map). Please direct questions or comments concerning the LSL project to the UMass Facilities Planning Project Manager, Jeff Quackenbush at 5-6453, or jquacken@facil.umass.edu. A real-time web cam of the construction site is available on the project information page. | |
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The first phase of the renovation is complete. The project includes a new ceiling, new lighting, acoustical treatments, a new service desk area, and upgrades to the mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Questions concerning the Lincoln Campus Center Concourse renovation should be directed to the UMass Facilities Planning project manager, Ivan Chow, at 5-2644 or ischow@facil.umass.edu. | |
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McGuirk Alumni Stadium Upgrades
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Temporary fencing has been put in place around and throughout the stadium. Hazardous waste abatement of the existing press box has begun. Water and sanitary lines are being installed, which may involve closing through traffic on Stadium Drive for short periods of time. For background information about this project, see the project information page. A live project web cam is available here. Questions about the project should be directed to the FP project manager, Joe Balzano, at 545-2179; jbalzano@facil.umass.edu. |
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Old Power Plant Demolition
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Building
and utility demolition is complete. Contractors are in the final
stages of site stabilization and restoration. Some ancillary utility
work and road paving is still to take place, and the site itself will
continue to be fenced off until spring to ensure grade stability and to
prepare for seasonal landscaping. Traffic Campus Center Way will be closed some Saturdays, with UMass Police directing a detour to allow access to the Parking Garage. For one-lane closures, UMass Police will also direct traffic for access both ways. The Service Road will always be made accessible by emergency vehicles as an emergency access route. Thank you for your patience with the trucks and detours. This must be done keeping Safety First!Questions about the project should be directed to the FP project manager, Sara Northrup, at 545-4857; snorthrup@facil.umass.edu. |
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Questions and comments should be directed to Jim Hunt, Communications Manager; jhunt@facil.umass.edu; (413) 577-4767. | |
© 2006-2013 UMass Amherst Design & Construction Management | 413.545.1383 |