Friday, December 21, 2007
New AU Projects Underway
Construction is such a constant at Auburn University, it should be no surprise that two new projects started this week when the campus is practically empty.
December 19, 2007
Construction is such a constant at Auburn University, it should be no surprise that two new projects started this week when the campus is practically empty.
John Mouton, senior adviser to the president, said two hot water outages had to be planned during the winter break because they could not be done while the campus was full of students, faculty and staff.
In order to replace a section of underground piping on the north side of Tichenor Hall that is under stress, the hot water for 16 buildings, including the Haley and Shelby centers, Lowder and Ross, was shut off all this week. Mouton said they had to advise faculty and staff in those buildings to wear warm clothes to work because the outage also meant no heat.
“This is really the one time of year we have to do this kind of work,” he said.
It’s also the perfect time of year to shut down half of the guest rooms at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center for renovation. Managing Director Hans Van Der Reijden said the planning process had to start some time ago in order to ensure no more than half the hotel was available between Dec. 18 and early April. Those months are typically slower for the hotel and the completion date is well before May graduation and the first Camp War Eagle session.
The second outage is not scheduled yet, but will occur before students come back Jan. 8. Mouton said it is necessary to repair a pipe section near Broun Hall. If the hot water valves hold, it will only affect Broun; however, if the valves do not hold, then the same 16 buildings involved in this week’s outage will be affected again. This project should only take three days once it is scheduled.
Mouton said the construction season at AU slows down a little at this time of year because of deer season and the Christmas holiday, but it continues nonetheless.
The Shelby Center for Engineering Technology project has reached “substantial completion,” which means the building is ready to be occupied for its intended use. There is some minor work left to finish, but Mouton said it’s not affected by people.
It will likely take until the end of January to finish moving all the furniture in, Mouton said. The engineering dean moved into his office this week, but he anticipates more people will follow after the first of the year and most will be in by the end of February. Classes could be held inside the new building during the spring semester, but Mouton thinks summer would be the earliest.
The project to create a new student center next to the Haley Center is moving along fine, Mouton said. It won’t be completed until next summer, but he did say the interior finish work is in progress while the outside is completed.
Mouton said the contractor for the new student housing project on the west side of campus, White-Spunner Construction of Mobile, might mobilize before the first of the year, but he doesn’t expect it. The new halls won’t be available until fall of 2009.