This Week's Stories: Take our online survey! Berkeley Math Whiz Garners Fields Medal Campus Needs $35 Million Network Upgrade, Says Report Faculty Profile: Lydia Chavez Boalt Hall Increases Minority Enrollment Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood Discovering 'Truth' in Very Different Ways Cash Appointed Interim University Relations Head Help for Those Who Care for Others Conference on Diversity in Graduate Education Welcome Back -- to Campus Construction I Teach, Therefore I Log On Fees Drop as Fall Semester Starts Nominations Sought for this Year's Chancellor's Outstanding Staff Awards Two New Search Engines Can Help You Find Campus Info Regular Features Awards News Briefs
			Welcome Back -- to Campus Construction by Julia Sommer, Public Affairs posted August 26, 1998 Returning to campus this fall also means returning to construction projects, many of which have been delayed by El Nino. Here's an update on nine major campus construction projects. Doe Library. Step III of this giant seismic reinforcement project -- the historic north reading rooms, including the Morrison Room and the barrel-vaulted Humanities Area Studies Reading Room (formerly the general reference room) -- should be completed in the spring. Step IV -- Bancroft Library -- awaits funding of $10.7 million, with construction planned for 1999-2000. Edwards Stadium. Renovation of this historic site of track and field events began in July and is slated for completion in early 1999. Lighting has been deferred due to budget constraints. This $3 million project is funded entirely by donors, with a $1.5 million leadership gift from Richard and the late Rhoda Goldman. Hazardous Materials Facility Construction was slowed by El Ni~no, but this new two-story, 24,000-square-foot building next to the co-generation plant should be completed in the spring. Hazardous waste will be packaged here and shipped to disposal sites. This $10 million facility has specialized features to contain spills and has an especially stiff steel frame to allow the facility to operate following a major earthquake. Haas Pavilion. The mother of all construction projects -- at least until Hearst Mining gets underway -- now shows the giant steel beams that will support 12,100 seats. Segments of ten 220-foot steel roof super trusses will arrive at the end of October to be assembled on site and put in place by two giant cranes. The roof should go on in January (campus construction managers are counting on a dry La Ni~na winter). The $48 million project is scheduled to open in summer '99, in plenty of time for the '99-'00 basketball season. Hearst Memorial Mining Building. The $68 million seismic reinforcement and renovation of this national historical landmark was officially launched July 9 (see July 15 Berkeleyan). Half the funding is coming from the state and half from private donors. The building is vacant. Prototype base isolators are being built and tested in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. The isolators will act as giant steel and rubber "donuts" that will allow the building to shift 30 inches horizontally in an earthquake. Selection of a general contractor should be complete by Sept. 15. Installation of perimeter project safety fencing and barriers is expected in early October. Interior demolition, hazardous material abatement, and site preparation should begin by mid-October. Excavation for the foundation isolators is expected to start the first quarter of 1999. Target date for occupancy is fall semester 2001. Hillside Parking Terraces. Three dirt terraces above Lawrence Hall of Science have been paved and lighted, adding 347 upgraded parking spaces for hill permit-holders. The hillside shuttle bus will bring drivers down to campus. Enforcement of hill permits will start Sept. 1. McCone Hall. McCone staff are working in the midst of a $15 million seismic retrofit and renovation, due for completion in the spring. The main seismic strengthening is a 60-foot concrete tower on the west side and interior concrete walls on the north and south ends, currently under construction. Classrooms, labs and offices also are being renovated to modern standards. University Village. The University Village Redevelopment Project began demolition of 356 student family apartments in Albany June 1, and will replace them with 392 two- and three-bedroom apartments. Most of the units slated for demolition were built during World War II as temporary housing for shipyard workers. The two-year project will be phased to minimize loss of housing. The remaining housing west of Eighth Street was constructed in the 1960s and will be renovated or replaced when funding is secured. West Campus Entry and Cross-Campus Bicycle Path. The sidewalk along Cross Campus Road was recently widened and the new dedicated bicycle path between Cross Campus Road and the West Circle is being graded and paved. The final segment of renovation of the pedestrian path from Center and Oxford streets to the Valley Life Sciences Building will start the second week of September and conclude in October. Foot traffic will be detoured around work areas. [ Back to top ] .

			This site is produced and maintained by the Office of Public Affairs, University of California, Berkeley. Copyright 1998, The Regents of the University of California. For comments concerning this web service please e-mail berkeleyan@pa.urel.berkeley.edu