Renovations continue rolling along

by Elizabeth Luciano, News Office Staff

A worker from Handford General Contractors in Springfield works on the parking lot next to the ROTC building. (Stan Sherer photo)

everal large-scale renovation and maintenance efforts have taken place at the University during the summer, with more scheduled to begin during the next six months, according to Ted Weidner, associate vice chancellor for facilities and campus services, and Earl Smith, director of the Physical Plant. Expenditures for the projects come from several sources, including campus funding, legislative appropriations, the state building authority, and the UMass Building Authority.

      Work progressed in earnest this summer on the Harold Alfond addition to the Isenberg School of Management, where extensive excavation work was done and a number of utility lines were rerouted. Several large trees were moved from the area and replanted in order to accommodate the construction project. The building's foundation is taking shape. When completed, the new classroom wing will feature fully wired, state-of-the-art "case rooms" where students will collaborate on class projects and assignments. Plans also call for a computerized learning center, placement office, and a real-time trading room where students can track stock market action.

      The steam line that services the Orchard Hill Residential Area was replaced. The new line will be more energy-efficient, and will help control utility costs, according to Weidner. The line was rerouted, in order to preserve several rare trees in that area of campus. The project also demanded reworking of utility lines and included improved lighting in the area.

      The steam line located in front of the Student Union Building was replaced, and the front of the building was re-landscaped. The exteriors of South College and the Mather Building were re-landscaped. Many specimen trees that had been lost to disease during recent years were replanted.

      A project to improve signage at the campus gateways was completed. The signs delineate the boundaries of the campus and enable visitors to more easily find their way around the University. The signs are lit and landscaped. To enhance pedestrian safety, crosswalk markings have been repainted, and warning signs have been upgraded and reconfigured. The annual "Walk for Light" prompted pruning around walkways and roadways, and the installation of additional lighting and police call-boxes at various locations around the campus. A new, raised crosswalk was constructed on Stockbridge Road, near the Franklin Dining Commons.

      Many renovation projects over the summer upgraded selected areas in the University's 41 residence halls, according to John Findley, associate director for planning and operations in Housing Services. The improvements amounted to about $2.25 million and were paid for from the Housing Services Capital Improvement Fund. Findley said extensive work was completed on common areas and student rooms during the summer. Projects included painting, deep-cleaning, and work on mechanical systems.

      A new roof was installed on Mary Lyon residence hall. The exterior of Knowlton was repainted, and flooring was replaced in specific areas of the Baker, Moore, and John Quincy Adams residence halls. The fire alarm system was upgraded in Butterfield, and interior doors and ceilings were replaced. The elevators were modernized in Coolidge Tower, where new bathroom partitions also were installed. The Physical Plant rebuilt the plaza located outside Hampshire Dining Commons, in Southwest.

     Many classrooms have been upgraded in buildings including Hasbrouck, Goessmann and Paige laboratories; Holdsworth, Bowditch, and Duda halls; as well as the auditorium in the School of Management. Work included repainting, recarpeting, installation of new lighting and furniture, and technical upgrades. The process is part of an ongoing plan to improve classrooms, an effort on which the University spends approximately $650,000 each year, according to Smith. Additionally, a distance-learning facility was installed in the Computer Science Building.

      A new parking lot was constructed near the Sylvan Residential area. Several lots were repaved, including Lot 40 in Orchard Hill; Lot 32 along Massachusetts Avenue; Lot 42, adjacent to the ROTC facility; Lot 63, which serves the School of Public Health and Health Sciences; and the parking area of Lincoln Apartments, at the southern edge of the campus. Parking Services manager Michael Brennan notes that there are plans for repaving additional lots within the next 18 months, following the completion of various construction projects around campus.

      Additionally, numerous building-improvement projects have taken place during the summer, among them: installation of an improved fire-alarm system in the W.E.B. Du Bois Library; a ventilation upgrade in Goessmann Laboratory; and roof and masonry repairs at Hasbrouck Laboratory and Holdsworth Hall. Lead abatement and structural upgrades continued at Lincoln Apartments, where the buildings' exteriors were repainted. Work was completed on installation of an elevator in the Fine Arts Center Concert Hall. New roofs were installed at Lederle Graduate Research Center and the University's power plant. The exterior of the ROTC facility was painted and restored. Areas throughout the Fine Arts Center, Du Bois Library, and Lederle Graduate Research Center were repainted.

      Also, approximately 30 new air-conditioning units have been installed throughout campus, with 44 more slated for installation in coming weeks. Roughly 10,000 square feet of floor tile and 3,000 yards of carpet have been installed or replaced in classroom or administrative buildings, and asbestos removal has continued in areas around the campus.

      Lighting at various athletic fields was replaced, and electrical equipment was improved in several areas of campus. Work continued on the University's move to construct and maintain its street lights, with work this summer focused on the areas adjacent to Massachusetts Avenue and the Orchard Hill residential area. A new baseball scoreboard was installed at Lorden Field, behind the Mullins Center.

     Throughout the campus, bicycle racks, picnic tables, and benches were installed, along with additional recycling containers. The picnic tables and benches are made of recycled materials.

      In addition to major projects, a great deal of routine maintenance is performed while students are away, Smith said. The work includes the inspection and routine maintenance of the power plant on campus; the deep-cleaning of classrooms, restrooms, and building entrances across campus; and the shampooing of carpets throughout the W.E.B. Du Bois Library. Along with the major projects, work continues on upgrading steam lines, mechanical systems, and utilities, as well as making accessibility upgrades and general repairs across campus.

      The Physical Plant staff also is responsible for the upkeep of University facilities and buildings that are off-campus, including experimental stations and agricultural facilities in Wareham, Gloucester, Belchertown, South Deerfield, and Waltham.