SWARTHMORE COLLEGE SCIENCE CENTER PHASE 0

CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY UPDATE

Period 7 - 20 August 2001

WORK AREAS:

 

Dupont--Temporary North Entrance
·  The aluminum entrance was installed during the week of 7/30/01.
·  Interior finishes are continuing.  The entrance will open early next week, and finishes are expected to be complete by 8/17/01.  A handrail and slip-resistant surfacing will be added to the ramp over the next few weeks.

Dupont--Lecture Hall
·  Demolition of the Lecture Hall started last week and will be completed by 8/10.

·  The Bertoia sculpture outside the Lecture Hall was relocated temporarily to the McCabe Terrace.  It will remain there until the first phase of the project is complete.

Dupont--Math Wing
·  Asbestos abatement will be completed by 8/8/01.

·  Saw-cutting of structural members occurred during the week of 7/30.  Demolition will start at the end of this week.

Dupont Physics Offices and Temporary Restrooms
·  Layout and framing of new walls is in progress.  The exit doors at that lobby are permanently blocked.

·  Rough-in of mechanical and electrical services is continuing.

Rugby Field
·  The rugby field parking lot will be paved beginning 8/10/01, and then striped.  A connector between the new rugby field lot and the existing Dupont lot will allow vehicular traffic to continue behind Dupont.  The existing road alongside the Research Annex will then be demolished and excavation will begin for the installation of underground utilities.

·  Stockpiling of topsoil and fill is ongoing.  Construction of the swale is underway.

North Quad
· The pedestrian path to main entrance of Cornell Library has been closed. 

·  The installation of manhole 13 is on-going and will affect the landscape, parking and access roads at Hicks and Beardsley. 

·  Installation of the construction fence on the North Quad is nearly complete.  Opaque slats are being installed in the fence.

 

Cornell Library
·  The opening of the new rear entrance to the library has been delayed due to issues with the scaffolding platform and a delay in obtaining the new door and door hardware.  Once these issues are resolved, the new temporary entrance will open.  In the meantime, patrons are asked to call beforehand to make sure someone from the library staff can let them into the library.

·  Structural steel will be installed in the second floor of Cornell to allow the removal of the canopy. The work will start on 8/13/01.

<![if !supportLists]>·        <![endif]>Removal of the roof shingles over the canopy was completed.  The material was asbestos-containing, so the decision was made to remove all of the shingles in this phase rather than wait to remove the balance of the shingles the next phase.  New shingles will be installed to serve until the rest of the roof is removed later in the project.

 

UTILITY SHUTDOWNS:

·  The voice and internet networks in Dupont are scheduled to be shut down from 5:00 p.m. Friday, August 10^th through 7:00 a.m. Monday, 13 August to allow termination of new fiber in the relocated MDF room in the basement of the building.

·        There will be a power interruption in Beardsley on Saturday, 11 August beginning at 8:30 a.m. while lines are relocated to manhole 13A.  This will isolate the west loop feeder to the existing transformer, to allow removal of the east feeder.

 

PEDESTRIAN / VEHICULAR ACCESS:

 ·  Parking along Whittier Place is prohibited during the hours of 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Faculty and staff were advised that parking is at their own risk.  The purple permit parking signs on Whittier Place have been removed and No Parking signs are being installed.
·  The stair tower exit door at the northwest corner of the Dupont Research Annex has been limited to emergency exit only, due to construction activities outside. Signs have been posted at all doors in the stair tower.

·  The stair tower exit on the west side of Dupont was closed 11 July for excavation and the installation of the temporary stair and scaffold assembly.   Signs have been posted inside the building to this effect.  The exit will reopen after resolution of issues with the scaffolding are resolved.

·        Parking at the Hicks lot has been displaced for the installation of manhole 13A.  Most of the above-ground work will be complete by the middle of next week.  The construction fencing will be contracted and all but one space (where the manhole now exists) will be restored.
·  The Borough has approved eliminating parking at two spaces on Elm Avenue near the intersection with Whittier Place, to facilitate construction traffic.  The existing street parking signs will be relocated.  Borough enforcement of the restriction is expected to begin following receipt of public comment at the Borough Council meeting 13 August.

 

 

NOISE, VIBRATION, DUST, ODORS

·   Demolition work is underway at Dupont.  Sprayed water is being used to control dust generated by the work.

·        A tire cleaning area (gravel) will be installed as part of the paving of the rugby field parking lot.  This should reduce dirt tracking onto Whittier Place.

·        The pedestrian path from the Dupont parking lot to Whittier Place will be swept daily to reduce dust.

·  Use of the citrus-based mastic remover as part of the asbestos abatement activities will produce an odor in Dupont. Negative pressure and high rates of ventilation are being used to help dissipate the odor.
·  Demolition at the Lecture Hall wing and the Math wing over the next two weeks will create noise and vibration in the immediate area.

DELIVERIES / HEAVY EQUIPMENT:

·  Earth-moving equipment (backhoe, bulldozer, dump truck, etc.) is on site.  Another backhoe and a pole truck will be delivered Friday 8/10/01.   

·  Delivery of six truck-loads of storm water pipe is expected on 8/13 and 8/14/01.