Noise winding down

Posted by admin on Nov 3, 2005 in News | 0 comments

The new music practice building will be available to students by November 10 and the scaffolding on the Northwest building will be removed by January 1, university officials say.

Building delays were due to a “crazy construction market” and a delay in deliveries.

Several completion dates were given to the construction company, none of which have been met so far.

Regarding the music building, “the university demanded a revised schedule from the construction company, which said [the deadline was] the end of
October,” said Eric Poxleitner, Executive Director of Campus Planning and Projects. “Now, obviously, that date has been pushed to November.”

The university now plans to move in during fall reading break. It will be a challenge to coordinate the move, said Poxleitner.

The school must obtain an occupancy permit before anyone can move in. If the permit is not approved, the “worst case scenario is that [the move in date] might get pushed until the following week,” said Poxleitner.

Repairs on Northwest Building are “on schedule and on budget,” said Executive Assistant Glen Forrester. The scaffolding will be removed by January 1, and the entire project will be completed by January 31.

Repair delays were due to a cut down on morning construction on behalf of residents. Construction crews, however, cannot do anything to reduce the noise.

“The project will be noisy until the job is done,” said Poxleitner. “We can’t reduce the noise, we can only manage the situation.”

To make sure that student needs are met, the Northwest RD and construction supervisor meet weekly.

The condemned Calvin B. Hanson chapel building will be demolished at the end of the school year. There are no plans to rebuild a chapel on its site. Daily chapel services will continue to be held in the gym for an indefinite period of time, said Forrester.
“We can’t afford a dedicated chapel hall,” said Forrester. A new facility “has to be a multi-use assembly space.”

The chapel site will be “top-soiled and seeded,” said Poxleitner; there has been no final decision made regarding the site itself.

The campus asbestos inventory has received bids from two companies. The winner will take inventory of all the asbestos on campus and develop a management plan for the university.

Asbestos removal will happen “where it is achievable” and “where it minimizes the risk,” said Poxleitner.

Asbestos is only a health hazard if it is broken up. If it remains intact, asbestos endangers no one.