Fall 2012 Lobby Expansion

In fall 2012, the College of Engineering and Applied Science will be reworking the lobby and entrance to the dean's office in the Engineering Center (click image above for larger version) in order to add more space for seating and key administrative functions. Construction is expected to continue into early 2013.

What will students, faculty, and staff get from this renovation?

• Expanded seating for students to gather and work in the west lobby
• Easier access to and more room for student services
• A brighter, more open staircaise entry area

As construction progresses, watch this page for updates (listed in reverse chronological order below) and check our Facebook page for the latest details. We look forward to welcoming you to our new, expanded lobby area in the spring!

Construction Update | Jan. 10, 2013:

Construction is nearly complete! Please bear with the last of the dust while finish work is completed. The new stairs should be open by Jan. 22. Please note that the main doors to the reception area and Dean's office suite are now open, and that the previous detour access door is now locked. All reception staff previously located upstairs in the old Real McCoy location have now returned to the main reception area off the lobby.

Noise Advisory | Week of Dec. 17, 2012:

We are on schedule and the construction should complete before the start of the spring semester! The new steel stairs will be installed Wednesday through Friday – there will be drilling, banging, grinding and generally moderately noisy work in the stair area. The noise should not carry into ECCE, ECCR, ECOT, or ECEE.

Noise Advisory | Week of Dec. 10, 2012:

There is a small amount of noisy bolt drilling and anchor drilling next week, but this work will all be done prior to 8 a.m.Interior finish, mechanical, and electrical work will continue throughout the week. This work will not be noisy. There will be drywall installation all day Saturday. The new glass is installed, so all the work areas are now protected, just in time for winter!

Noise Advisory | Week of Dec. 3, 2012:

The noisiest work is over! Duct installation will be ongoing in the new expanded lobby area. Any drilling work will be done before 8 a.m. Bolts will be installed into the new concrete between 6 and 8 a.m. Window glass will be installed next week, so there will be quite a bit of forklift traffic around all affected areas.

Noise Advisory | Week of Nov. 19, 2012:

Mechanical activities:

• Ductwork will be installed in the new lobby area. This will involve the occasional shots into the structure for hangers. It will be intermittently noisy and was specifically scheduled for the week of fall break.

Interior activities:

• Interior framing will be underway all week. This will involve screwing the framing members together and the occasional power nailer shots to attach the track to structure.

Noise Advisory | Week of Nov. 12, 2012:

The structural steel work is complete and floor concrete is being poured!

Mechanical Activities

• Hanging pipe in the lobby ceiling all week.  This will not be very noisy, but may have some slight odors from the soldering.  The lobby furniture on the south window wall will be moved to accommodate this work.
• Hanging duct in the new lobby area starting Tuesday or Wednesday.  All drilling will be done before 8 a.m.
• Preparing for mechanical piping in the new ECAD area.  This will be some shooting anchors into the structural steel and should not be too nosy.
• Installing the storefront windows in the stairway area on Friday, Nov. 16. There will be some noise during the installation.

Interior Trades

• May start framing walls in the ECAD area/stairwell on Monday.  This will entail basic construction noise.

Noise Advisory | Week of Nov. 5, 2012:

There will be very noisy construction work every morning from 5:30-8:00 a.m.. The noisy work will be in all the construction areas. In addition:

Steel Activities

• Completion of the installation of the structural steel and metal decking in the new ECAD area and in the lobby expansion area. This will be periodic equipment noise and banging and cutting (like last week).
• Wednesday: Welding the nelson studs to the metal decking.  This activity requires a large welding rig that will be stationed near the lobby expansion area.  This will be equipment noise throughout the duration of the activity, but we are anticipating completion of this activity by early afternoon. Throughout the entire week, install steel structure in ECAD area (stairs and new office area).

Mechanical Activities

• Continued work on the pipe hangers in ECEE and lobby.  Any noisy work will be done 5:30-8:00 AM.
• Wednesday: Drilling pilot holes in ECEE 1VB and 1st floor rooms. This will be very noisy and will be done between 6-8 AM, with the approval of ECEE personnel.

Noise Advisory | Week of Oct. 29, 2012:

Steel Activities

• Tuesday: Erect steel for the expansion of the lobby (area below ECOT offices); this will involve periodic equipment noise along with some banging and cutting.
• Early Tuesday and Wednesday mornings: Install steel base plates in ECAD area. This will be hammer drilling into the concrete which will be very loud. The work will be done between 5:30-8:00 a.m. both days.
• Throughout the week: Install steel structure in ECAD area (stairs and new office area). This will involve periodic equipment noise and banging and cutting.

Mechanical Activities

• All week: Install mechanical piping in the mechanical room in the 2B level of the Electrical Engineering wing. This will include drilling into the concrete to set pipe hangers.  All work will be done between 5:30-8:00 a.m.
• Starting Thursday: Install pipe hangers in ECAD starting Thursday. This work will also be done between 5:30-8:00 a.m.

Update | October 24, 2012:

We now have entered the structural steel/concrete construction for the new spaces. This work will continue through November 9, as long as the weather allows all the outdoor work to continue. This work is the noisiest part of construction, and needs to be done both during the week and weekend in order to keep the project on schedule. 

The noise level will vary day-to-day and area-to-area as the structural steel work is undertaken in the three areas (lobby expansion, ECAD expansion, and new entrance) over the next two and a half weeks. Keep watch on this page for the latest details.

Update | October 9, 2012:

Effective Monday, Oct. 15, the double-door entrance to the ECAD administration will be blocked off for construction. Please the back entrance to ECAD, which is located on the east end  of the first floor of ECEE.  This entry will be open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and there will be signs to direct you to this entrance. The main ECAD lobby entrance will remain closed until the end of the construction project.

Also beginning Monday, Oct. 15, the east side of the lobby area closest to ECME (roughly one-third of that area of the lobby) will also be blocked off for expansion. All the rectangular tables and gray chairs currently in that area will be moved to other locations in the lobby.

Update | October 3, 2012:

Caissons for the northern expansion of ECAD will be drilled on Thursday, October 4. The caisson work will go on the entire day beginning at 7 a.m., with periods of loud noise totaling about 3-4 hours. We cannot predict the exact time(s) that will be noisiest; it depends on what the soil conditions are, which will be discovered during the drilling.

Update | September 20, 2012:

• The carpeted concrete stairs on the east side of the lobby will be demolished. The demolition may be quite noisy, and so is scheduled to take place off hours (5 p.m. - 8 a.m.) starting on Tuesday, Sept. 25, and may take several days. It may be difficult to work in or near the lobby during those nights and evenings; finding alternate study areas, such as the Gemmill Library of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics, is recommended.
• The caissons to support the landing above the new stairs will be drilled once the old stairs are demolished. The drilling is tentatively scheduled for the daytime hours of Monday, Oct. 1 and may be quite loud. Those working in/near the ECAD area may wish to ask their supervisors about alternative work locations for that day.
• The stairwell is expected to be closed starting Monday, Sept. 24 for the rest of the semester. However, the enclosed stairwell on its south side is expected to remain open.