Aug. 29, 2006 issue
Downing Hall renovations highlight summer construction

By Ron Podell

 

The summer months may serve as down time for much of Eastern Michigan University's student population. However, June, July and August are often prime time for campus construction.

And while the new student center is the most visible construction project on campus, many others that benefit students took place during the summer.

WET WORK: As part of the Downing Hall renovation this summer, bathrooms in each dorm room were gutted. Here, a plumber installs new temperature controls for the shower. Photo by Randy Mascharka

Last summer, Buell Hall underwent extensive renovations in an effort to improve campus housing for students. This summer, Downing Hall was the recipient of some major sprucing up.

Renovation was extensive, taking place in dorm rooms, the bathrooms, the lobby and common areas. In addition, new furniture, new carpet and a new fire alarm and suppression system were installed. Work was completed before students move in this weekend for the fall 2006 semester.

"We removed all of the old wood partitions that divided the living room and bedroom, and replaced that with drywall walls," said Sean Berdan, a coordinator of construction projects for the physical plant. "We gutted the bathrooms and put in completely new showers, toilets, sinks and fixtures."

Downing's lobby area also was overhauled. A new front desk was built and the lobby furniture was replaced. New carpet, light fixtures and finishes were installed and the area also received a fresh coat of paint.

The physical plant did go back to Buell this summer and renovated the lobby area, put in a new front desk and refinished the recreation room. In addition, some common area bathrooms in Buell and Downing were upgraded to become ADA compliant.

BUELL LOBBY: The Buell Hall lobby was renovated this summer, with work including a new front desk area. Here, Chris Longerbeam and Sean Berdan, coordinators of construction projects for the physical plant, inspect blueprints for the project. Photo by Randy Masharka

Walls in Phelps, Walton and Putnam halls were repainted. Doors and trim were painted in Sellers Hall. Phelps Hall also received new carpeting in the corridors.

Other housing projects completed this summer include:

The interior walls and ceiling of dorm rooms inside all of the buildings in the Village were re-painted.

Windows and water lines were replaced at the Tri-Sig House, which the University owns. The old plastic water lines were replaced with copper lines, said Larry Ward, director of facility maintenace.

Six deteriorating stairs were repaired or replaced at Cornell Apartments.

Pray-Harrold and Mark Jefferson

For years, there have been discussions about renovating Pray-Harrold and Mark Jefferson, EMU's two largest classroom buildings. It finally appears those discussions are moving closer to reality.

Pray-Harrold

A final program statement for both of Pray-Harrold's $10 million and $55 million renovation projects are complete. Use and Finance statements have been completed for both scenarios, Ward said.

Gov. Jennifer Granholm has included $52 million for the renovation of Pray-Harrold in her proposed budget. The renovation project has topped EMU's list of capital projects since 1999.

When it opened in 1969, Pray-Harrold was one of the largest classroom buildings in the United States. Built for $5.6-million, the seven-story structure accommodated 4,500 students each hour in its 75 classrooms and four lecture halls. Fully air-conditioned, the structure provided office space for 407 faculty members.

The exterior and site building conceptual plans for Mark Jefferson are finalized. In addition to planned renovations, a physical connection is planned between Mark Jefferson and Strong Hall, which will create a science complex, Ward said.

A new look

The University is in discussions with the city of Ypsilanti to close and vacate Forrest Avenue/College Place. University officials want to turn that road into a pedestrian walkway and improve pedestrian safety near Pease Auditorium.

"We want to create a mall and redirect traffic to other parts of the city," Ward said.

Feeling secure

Efforts to improve campus safety that started last year continued during the summer. Security camera installation was completed in Mark Jefferson, Strong Hall and Halle Library. Upgraded recording equipment was installed in Best, Buell, Wise and Downing halls.

FEELING SAFE: Audrey Johnson demonstrates how accessible the alarm is at the emergency assistance station installed at Mark Jefferson this summer. Another station is located in Strong Hall. Photo by Randy Mascharka

Emergency assistance stations are complete in Mark Jefferson and Strong Hall. The stations include an alarm and the ability to communicate directly with the Department of Public Safety. From their office at the parking structure, DPS personnel can view video of the emergency assistance station that the person is calling from. A similar station will be installed at the College of Business this fall.

Four new security camera systems were installed in the Porter Building. In addition, a wireless duress system was placed in two labs (including the CATE lab) that have extended operating hours in the building.

"Additional exterior lighting has been added outside Boone and King halls to improve campus security," Ward said. "We've added new light poles outside Hover and Scherzer. This was done to accommodate changes in campus growth and walking traffic patterns."

As an ongoing effort to improve emergency response capabilities, the physical plant has installed a standby generator that will allow trade shops and office operations to remain functional during power outages and in times of critical need. This will allow the physical plant to operate as a command post site, Ward said.

Security upgrades are not just mechanical. In conjunction with DPS and the Department of Health and Safety, physical plant employees are being trained to respond to emergency situations as part of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The Department of Homeland Security introduced this program in March 2004 to improve local response operations through application of standard procedures and preparedness measures.

A conceptual design has been completed for a build-out and renovation of the Department of Public Safety offices at the parking structure.

Light it up

Improving lighting in various campus buildings is designed not only to make things easier on the eyes, but also to improve energy efficiency on campus.

Summer lighting projects included:

• Replacing failing T-12 light fixtures with energy-efficient T-8 fixtures. In-house electricians are performing the ongoing work.

"The T-8s put out the same amount of light, but saves on ballast replacement costs," Ward said.

• A project has been developed to upgrade lights and improve energy conservation in the Alexander Building. The work will include replacement of the majority of the ceiling tiles in the building.

Fresh air

A fresh coat of paint or new lighting can make a building more inviting, but it's what you don't see that can make you just as comfortable. This is especially true of building improvements made to regulate temperature and/or improve air quality.

A number of such improvements took place over the summer. These include:

• The HVAC system was upgraded on the second and third floors of Snow Health Center. The upgrade included the replacement of an air handling unit and 60 obsolete induction controls (for air quality) serving individual rooms were updated.

• Ventilation of the pool filter room in Warner has been improved to comply with current health codes. A new exhaust fan and more than 50 feet of additional duct have been installed.

• Air conditioning has been installed in Pray-Harrold's elevator mechanical room to accommodate the needs of the new elevator controls. The same has been done to Pittman Hall's elevator mechanical room.

• At the College of Business, replacement of parts for three air handling unit fans is complete. The project has improved building ventilation, occupant comfort and has resulted in some energy savings, Ward said.

• Eight new, energy efficient boilers were installed at the Westview apartment complex. The boiler efficiency has been improved 70-80 percent, said Chris Longerbeam, a coordinator of construction projects.

Going up

The joke among students is that you can get on an elevator in Pray-Harrold on a Monday and arrive at your destination the next day. Improving those and other elevators on campus was a summer priority.

Of the four elevator cars in Pray-Harrold, one car is operational while the other three will be repaired, Ward said. An elevator renovation plan for Mark Jefferson is similar. The initial phase will provide for the complete replacement of the three elevator cars, machines and controls. The first car replacement took place in June.

Other elevator projects include:

• A capital outlay plan for elevator renovation in Mark Jefferson has commenced. The first elevator car was replaced in June. Replacement of two other elevator cars, machines and controls with modern, state-of-the-art equipment is underway.

• A project is in progress to replace two elevator cars, machines and control systems with new state-of-the-art equipment in Pittman Hall. This will be completed in September, Ward said.

• The entire elevator car in Snow Health Center was replaced.

• The elevator cab in Walton Hall was replaced.

At the eateries

A number of aesthetic and functional improvements took place or are planned at EMU's various dining establishments this summer.

The student entrance to Dining Commons 1 received a facelift. The flooring was replaced and the entrance repainted.

"We tried to dress up the entrance and throw a little color in there," Longerbeam said.

In addition, 80 percent of the DC1 windows were replaced by mid-August.

The dock area at Dining Commons 2 will be upgraded with the driving surface replaced and the storm sewer repaired.

Work to install an emergency generator at Dining Commons 3 began this summer and will continue into the fall, Ward said. The emergency generator is needed to carry the complex emergency lighting, the fire pump, food freezers and coolers in the event of a DTE power outage.

The heat is on

The heating plant, an old building that rarely receives a second look on campus, is one of its most vital. Much attention was paid to this structure this summer, with the building receiving components to make it more energy efficient as well as a new paint job and some roof repairs.  

The heating plant's boiler control system was overhauled. The first boiler received an automated control system, new oxygen sensors and a capacity monitor. The second boiler received new CO and CO2 sensors.

In addition, repairs were made inside the boilers to improve the efficiency of the units and extend the life of the boiler.

"This project will provide improved efficiency of the operation of the boiler," Ward said.

The exterior of the building was painted to match the paint used on the outside of Halle Library. Approximately 50 percent of the heating plant's old roof was replaced.

Odds and ends

Pierce Hall is in the midst of a data cabling upgrade. The project includes complete replacement of the data cabling system and a new, year-round, air-conditioned data closet with state-of-the-art switching equipment.

"The project will enhance communications and speed of the Pierce system," Ward said.

The physical plant worked with ICT to upgrade data infrastructure at Mark Jefferson. New data cabling and new data switching equipment for the entire building were installed.

The Career Services suite, located on the second floor of the College of Business, was renovated. The entrance and reception area were redone.

Re-roofing of Sill Hall was 60 percent complete this summer, Ward said.

The first phase of window replacement at Quirk Hall was completed. Windows with the most critical need were addressed first. The goal is to improve building occupancy comfort and energy efficiency.

The Cooper Building was recoated, stucco painting applied and lighting upgraded. This was done to accommodate the move of the linguistics department from Pray-Harrold to the Cooper Building.

The roof on Boone Hall was recoated.

Rackham Hall received miscellaneous repairs, including tuck-pointing and masonry repairs, roofing repairs and new replacement windows.

Carpet in the main floor area of Pease Auditorium will be replaced by September.

Portions of Westview Road have failed. Engineering and survey work have been completed, with roadwork scheduled in the fall, Longerbeam said.

Large abandoned or obsolete equipment is being removed from several campus buildings. The project will improve safety, free up valuable floor space and make it easier to access and work on functional equipment.

"For example, we have some old pumps and air-conditioning units in Mark Jefferson that are outdated and need to be removed," Ward said.