Major construction projects begin over summer
When students return to campus in the fall, they may be surprised by a number of changes and renovations that take place over the summer. More than 20 different projects are scheduled to begin this summer, ranging from renovations to the residential colleges to the construction of a new utility plant.
The Residential Colleges Nearly all nine existing residential colleges will receive some form of renovation or construction before students return to campus. Associate Vice President of Housing and Dining Mark Ditman said Baker and Lovett Colleges will get the most work. The east wing of Baker will have new heating and air-conditioning systems installed, while Lovett will have asbestos insulation removed and its plumbing system upgraded. Both Baker and Lovett should be inhabitable by Orientation Week. The new sections of Will Rice and Hanszen Colleges will get new air ducts, and Sid Richardson College will have the height of its balconies raised. Several other colleges will get their Resident Associate apartments redone. Ditman said the total cost of residential college-related renovations on the Housing and Dining capital project list is currently expected to be around $2.5 million. Groundbreaking will begin for McMurtry College, the 11th residential college and the connecting servery in June. Assistant Vice President of Facilities, Engineering and Planning Doug Tomlinson said noise from construction crews and trucks will be inevitable, but workers will observe quiet hours to avoid disturbing north college summer residents and homeowners across the street.
South Plant In order to support the addition of new buildings and the continuing construction of the Collaborative Research Center, Rice is also planning to construct a new utility plant next to Entrance 4 to provide chilled water, steam and electrical service. Tomlinson said the plant will connect to existing cooling pipes and steam tunnels to supplement the existing central utility plant. Alumni Drive, across from Wiess College, will be closed and dug up to install steam tunnels connecting the plant to the rest of campus. Tomlinson said a gravel road will be installed parallel to the existing Alumni Drive but will only be accessible to construction vehicles and South Servery delivery trucks. Rice will also expand its existing water detention area next to the planned plant to comply with City of Houston building codes. The south plant is expected to be operational by July 2008.
Other Summer Projects Construction on the pavilion planned for the Central Quadrangle will begin in June and will finish in early 2008. Tomlinson said most of the noisy construction will finish in early fall, and there should be nothing loud enough to disturb students studying in the library by the time finals roll around. Autry Court will also receive renovations beginning in June, and Reckling Park will get new turf and improved drainage. Several engineering buildings will be remodeled or repainted over the summer, and many similar minor projects will also take place. Tomlinson said he is excited about all of the new projects and encouraged people to document the changes. “I’m telling my own staff to get out there and just shoot hundreds of pictures of these sites before we change them,” he said.
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