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September 12, 1996

Construction projects detailed

Following is a summary of recently completed or current construction projects at Pitt. Information was provided by the Office of Facilities Management.

General improvements Installation of safety systems in the form of sprinklers, fire alarms, emergency generators, fire pumps and electric locks are about to begin in Benedum Hall, Chevron Science Center, Salk Hall and the Library and Information Science Building. The improvements, which will cost $5 million, are a Jump Start project. [See story on this page.] Approximately $10,000 was spent to repair damage to a high voltage system on the lower campus caused by a water main break.

Sidewalks were replaced along Fifth Avenue near the Cathedral of Learning. Also, parts of the driveway at the William Pitt Union were repaired. Cost for the projects was $200,000.

Work was begun on a small park on the vacant Pitt Tavern site along Fifth Avenue between Bouquet Street and Oakland Avenue. Cost: $355,150.

Allen Hall Air conditioning on the fifth floor is to be upgraded at a cost of $275,000 and the physics laboratory remodeled at a cost of $200,700.

Bellefield Hall Renovation has been completed on three rooms used by the Office of Computing and Information Services and work is underway on an office for the CIS director. Total cost for the project is $93,000. Construction is set to begin on $8,000 worth of renovations for three rooms used by the Small Business Development Center. Benedum Hall Development of a distance learning lab for the manufacturing systems engineering program was completed at a cost of $198,655.

Temporary waterproofing repairs on the plaza were completed for $30,000 and a fume hood exhaust upgrade is planned for $150,000. Finishing work is underway on a limited renovation of the basement for School of Engineering offices. Cost: $100,000. Cathedral of Learning The Austrian nationality classroom was completed at a cost of $300,000. Installation of a new fire alarm system is underway on the 16th through 40th floors. Cost: $1.5 million.

Clapp and Crawford Halls As part of Phase 5 of the classroom renovation project, lecture halls were remodeled in Clapp and Crawford halls. New seating also was added in Crawford and seats were repaired in Clapp. Audio/visual equipment was provided for an electronic classroom in Crawford. Total cost: $400,000.

Eureka Building The fourth floor was renovated to accommodate the Office of Facilities Management and the fifth floor to accommodate the Mid-Atlantic Technical Applications Center. The cost for the fourth floor work was $183,000 and for the fifth floor work, $88,500.

Fitzgerald Field House A new steam line was designed to replace aging boilers. When completed, the line will run from Trees Hall to the Field House. Cost: $60,000.

Forbes Towers Construction is beginning on a $55,700 renovation of a School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences suite. The remodeling is being done to accommodate the communications sciences and disorders program.

Forbes Quad Repairs are underway on the roof of the Forbes Quad parking garage. Several 2-ton patio stones between Forbes Quad and Hillman Library were removed to allow repairs to the roof, which lies under the stones.

"Below the patio stones is a little air space that actually is a rubber roof that collects the water and sends it down through the drains," explained Glenn Avick, director of engineering and construction in the Office of Facilities Management. "Over the years, the rubber roof has shrunk and pulled away in places, allowing the water to get under the rubber, soak through the concrete and drip down through the parking garage." The rubber roof is being replaced with a standard "hot pitch" roof, according to Avick. Cost: $579,000. Frick Fine Arts Plans are underway to replace aging cooler equipment. Cost: $180,000.

Graduate School of Public Health The final phase is underway to replace the exterior brick facade of the Graduate School of Public Health building. Cost: $1.3 million.

Heinz Memorial Chapel Work is continuing on an addition housing an elevator. The project is designed to bring Heinz Chapel into compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act. Cost: $1,266,233.

Holland Hall Design work on new administrative offices for The Book Center has begun. The offices will be moved into under-utilized portions of Holland Hall. Existing offices will be turned into sales space. Cost: $526,140.

Law School Administrative offices in the law school were enlarged and a new Document Technology Center and a new Student Affairs office were added. Cost: $170,696.

Litchfield Towers The elevator system is scheduled to be upgraded, including the addition of an emergency generator system. The project is in the design stage. Cost: almost $1.3 million.

Learning Research and Development Center The fire alarm system is being upgraded. Cost of the project: $200,000.

Old Engineering Hall The fire alarm system is being upgraded at a cost of $200,000. Renovations have been completed on a laser laboratory and offices in rooms 104, 105 and 106. Cost: $356,000.

Salk Hall Repairs are underway or scheduled for the roof, exterior walls and windows. The cost is $300,000. School of Pharmacy laboratories also were renovated at a cost of $381,850, and School of Dentistry labs and offices at a cost of $400,000.

Space Research Coordination Center Rooms 405 and 411 were renovated and a new roof installed. Cost: $234,252.

Thackeray Hall The fire protection system was upgraded. Cost: $212,000.

Thaw Hall The fourth floor is being renovated for new chemistry classrooms and the electrical system is being upgraded. Cost is $320,000.

Trees Hall Work has begun on a small, central air conditioning system for the first-floor office areas. Cost: $139,000.

Bradford Campus Proposals are being reviewed for a $35,000 upgrade to the fire alarm system in Swarts Hall. The roof of Swarts Hall also was replaced at a cost of $209,000. Bids are being sought for $500,000 worth of classroom renovations, invoices are pending on $50,000 worth of sidewalk repairs and design work is underway on a $100,000 expansion of Frame-Westerberg Commons.

Greensburg Campus Construction is underway on a $550,000 expansion of McKenna Hall that includes three new classrooms and new restroom facilities. Work is scheduled to be completed in January. Construction of a new $3.4 million dormitory, College Hall, has been completed.

Work has been started on the renovation and enlargement of Smith Hall. Renovations include a new roof, theatre addition, security information center and fire alarm upgrade.

The cost is $1.5 million. Work is expected to be completed by April.

Johnstown Campus A $7 million, 50,000 square feet administration building is scheduled to be completed this fall.

Titusville Campus Bids are being reviewed on a $5 million science center. The University's contribution is $2.4 million; the remainder of the funds are from state and private sources.

–Mike Sajna

Filed under: Feature,Volume 29 Issue 2

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