General summer construction near completion, many projects still in the works


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A large slate of parking lot repair, general maintenance in the halls and work on the $95 million Biosciences Building are continuing Central Michigan University's ambitious summer construction initiatives.

Most of the maintenance will be completed by the Fall semester, but students might still have to grow used to the commotion of work crews at the Biosciences Building site through 2016.

"You try to do the best you can and not interrupt things," said Steve Lawrence, associate vice president of Facilities Management. "I think everyone understands construction is a bit disruptive but most accept it because its progress for the future."

Lawrence added Facilities Management is hiring an owner's representative who will be assigned to observe the progress of the building. A contract for that person has not been drafted, but the position is expected to be filled within two weeks.

In addition, work on the East Utility Loop is nearing completion. The $5.4 million project aims to improve the reliability of the university's steam and condensate system.

Lawrence said teams are working on backfilling trenches used to access the lines, as well as working on old lines and connection points within the utility tunnel.

Campus exterior lighting upgrades will be taking place through Aug. 20. Affected areas will include Parking Lots 1, 2, and 39, the Greenhouse walkway, and the north side of South Quad including Ottawa Court.

Lawrence said every fall, Facilities Management, Central Michigan Police Department, representatives from the Student Government Association and the Residence Hall Assembly take a night-time walk around campus with a light meter to find potentially dangerous areas. These gaps are filled the following summer.

To make getting around the south end of campus easier during construction on the Biosciences Building, Facilities Management will be building a construction access road in August. The road extends off East Campus Drive and runs through the north side of Lot 52, between Woldt Hall and the Engineering and Technology Building to the construction site.

Lawrence said construction in the heart of CMU's campus is challenging, but is a situation the university has had to deal with many times.

The Biosciences Building is scheduled to be completed in September 2016. The Clark Construction Company, who is contracted for the Biosciences Building construction, declined comment on their progress.

Work on active-learning classrooms in the Dow Science Complex are scheduled to be completed early August. Technology equipment installation continues in the classrooms, and final contractor touch-ups for the $1.5 million project are underway.

Finishing touches are being added to two lecture halls and two classrooms in Moore Hall. Mov?able seating with cup holders and handbag hooks were installed in Room 206. Carpet for Room 101 has been installed and will be installed soon in Room 105.

Crews worked this week to lay pavement on East Campus Drive. The project should be completed next week, according to construction updates from University Communications.

Check back with cm-life.com for more updates on campus-wide construction.

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