A lot will be happening on our new building this week. The wall separating us from the demolition/construction zone will be completed, demolition of the north end of Daniels will begin, and access to the loading dock via the normal driveway will be restored, but for deliveries only.
Gross demolition begins later this week and will continue into January. Act now if you want a last look at the exterior of the part of the building that housed the library and lecture rooms!
After demolition begins, please continue to be vigilant for your personal safety as you walk or bike in the vicinity of the chemistry building complex. Demolition will involve considerable activity by heavy equipment, trucks, and work crews. The sidewalk and the eastbound bike lane along the south side of University Avenue will be re-routed for the period of the next two years, and may be blocked, at times, during the demolition phase.
As of last week, asbestos abatement was complete and the dividing wall that will protect the north end of Daniels from both winter weather and construction was nearly complete. Here are a couple of photos that show how abatement and demolition have changed the lecture rooms between mid-September and last week:
Utility work in Mills St. is complete and temporary asphalt paving was laid down last Friday, but the huge excavation along the east side of Daniels (shown below) will remain for some time because various large pieces of equipment must be moved into the sub-basement through this area.
Work in Charter Street is proceeding rapidly. Steam tunnels have been enclosed and gravel is being backfilled in preparation for temporary paving to restore access to our loading dock for deliveries (liquid nitrogen in particular). Reopening the loading dock is expected later this week. Charter St. will partially reopen, for southbound traffic only, in January 2019, but two-way traffic will not be restored until next April. Loading-dock access is expected Thursday, December 5, but only for deliveries. Everyone else should avoid this area because it continues to be a construction zone.
Organic lab B341, which was closed this fall, has been cut in half and separated from the construction zone by a concrete-masonry-unit (CMU) wall. Although there is still cleanup to do, the separation wall is complete, and classes will be able to use this half-lab room next spring semester. Regaining this half-lab helps ease enrollment pressure in our program.
Finally, preparations have been made to install new stone facing on the church where the now-demolished old house covered an unsightly brick wall. New footings have been poured and some backfill is in place so that a scaffold can be built to allow stone facing to be installed.
This information is up-to-date as of Friday afternoon. Email bulletins will be provided as needed.
John Moore and Bob McMahon