October 1997
Update on Capital Repairs
The questions are frequent and seem inevitable for those on campus expected to know the answers. When will the garage be fixed? When will students be able to access the library from the Plaza?
The University Reporter recently spoke with LaVerne Cawthorne, Associate Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance, who gave us an update on campus capital repairs and provided insight on why it takes time to get things fixed.
Parking Garage
According to Cawthorne, waterproofing, repairing the floor and reinforcing the expansion joints will eliminate potholes, wooden poles, and concrete shavings that often land on cars. Repairs will cost an estimated $2.6 million.
For added safety, the University has hired independent structural engineers to assess the garage damage and recommend needed actions. The most recent visit was by Vollmer Associates on Sept. 9.
The projected completion date for garage repairs is 2002. "One of the problems facing the project is that we can't just shut down the garage entirely," Cawthorne said. Repairs will be made a section at a time to accommodate drivers, she said.
Bricks
The repairs to library's exterior will cost $5.8 million. Bidding for repair to the bricks will be accepted in January or February, Cawthorne said. Repairs should start in the spring, and the entire project should be complete by fiscal year 2000.
Sprinklers
Almost all of the McCormack Building has been equipped with sprinklers, and bidding is currently being done for the installation of sprinklers in the Wheatley and Science buildings. The entire sprinkler project should be complete in 2000.
Roof Repairs
An estimated $1.5 million project, the campus roof repairs are almost complete. The roofs of the McCormack and Science buildings have been replaced, and the University is waiting for approximately $800,000 from the Massachusetts Division of Capital Planning and Operation (DCPO) to start repairs on Wheatley's roof.
Campus Center
The Campus Center, which will centralize student activities and services, is in its final design phase. A spring 1999 ground breaking is expected.
Capital repairs are those made to building facilities or infrastructure, Cawthorne explained. All capital repairs are monitored by DCPO, whose allocation of funds is approved by the state legislature.
Each project has three phases: study, design and construction. DCPO monitors the study, which assigns a cost estimate the project, determines if repairs are needed, and, when funding sources are identified, certifies the study. A similar process is done during the design phase. Bidding is accepted from companies excluding the one(s) who participated in the study.