Summer brings myriad construction projects to Oakland campus

By DONOVAN HARRELL

The Pitt Office of Facilities Management will have its hands full this summer with construction projects across Pitt’s Oakland campus, at a cost of more than $120 million.

Scott Bernotas, associate vice chancellor for Facilities Management, and David Klimchock, a senior project manager, outlined Pitt’s construction plans for the summer, which include renovations to the Cathedral Learning, David L. Lawrence Hall, Litchfield Tower A and more.

These projects range from making certain areas of Pitt more accessible to upgrading bathrooms.

Cathedral of Learning

  • Renovations for ground floor classrooms G4, G16, G18, G20 and G24, with a projected cost of $3 million, will happen from May to December. These classrooms will look similar to others renovated on the third and fourth floors from three years ago.
  • G8 will see its sloped floor leveled in a separate $3 million project from May to December. This will make the space more versatile and accessible, Klimchock said.
  • Renovations to restrooms on the second and third floors will occur over summer 2019 and 2020, costing $2.2 million. The men’s restrooms, which started leaking, will be renovated this year, Bernotas said. The timetable had to be switched, with the women’s restroom reconstruction moved to next year.
  • New ADA ramps will be added in the Commons Room from May to August. This will improve accessibility to the classrooms on this floor, Bernotas said.

Salk Hall

  • The entire building will be renovated from May 2019 to January 2020 for $16 million. The buildings 29 roofs will be repaired and its mechanical and electrical infrastructure and plumbing will be upgraded. A new stairwell will be added. “It’s going to be makeover in terms of interior architecture, to upgrade the quality of the spaces,” Bernotas said.

Hillman Library

  • The library’s ongoing renovations will continue with the third floor. Construction began in April and will continue into January 2020 at a cost of $16 million. The finished floor will look very similar to the fourth floor, Bernotas said.

Petersen Sports Complex

  • The complex will see a third story floor added to it from July 2019 to August 2020 for $16 million. This new 24,000-square-foot space will house meeting rooms, coaches’ offices, more locker room space for athletes and will accommodate the new women’s lacrosse team.

David L. Lawrence Hall

  • Lawrence Hall’s computer lab will be renovated from May to August for $890,000. The finished product will look similar to the Cathedral’s ground floor computer labs and offer the same services, Klimchock said.

Work on Schenley QuadLitchfield Tower A

  • All bathrooms in the building’s 22 floors will be renovated from May to August, costing $8 million.

Posvar Hall

  • Posvar Hall’s fifth floor, which houses the School of Education and several classrooms, will be renovated from May 2019 to March 2020 for $8 million. The summer phase of the renovations will include the administrative offices and the conference room, Klimchock said.

Schenley Quad

  • Construction on the quad will be finalized with some structural repairs done to the area facing Fifth Avenue. This area needed to be strengthened to support ambulances and fire trucks. Construction began earlier this month and will wrap up in June.

Donovan Harrell is a writer for the University Times. Reach him at dharrell@pitt.edu or 412-383-9905.