Campus Construction Update, November 2, 2020

On this Campus Construction Update, Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Operations Matt Dull joins University Communications' Dave Blanks to discuss the latest updates for App State's west side construction projects, including construction progress for Laurel Creek Hall and the preparation for the New River Hall site.

Transcript

Dave Blanks: Hey, folks. This is Dave blanks from University Communications back once again with a Campus Construction Update, joined as I am so often joined by Matt Doll. Howdy, Matt Dull.

Matt Dull: Hey, Dave. How are you doing?

Dave Blanks: Pretty good, man. I hope you're good today.

Matt Dull: I am doing well on this rainy day that we are recording.

Dave Blanks: We've had a pretty good bit of rain the last, last few days, and especially today.

Matt Dull: Yeah, no kidding.

Dave Blanks: How's construction dealing with the rain? I mean, that surely slows them down.

Matt Dull: It's slowed down a few of the things. With the rain recently, I mean, the framing is kind of moving along pretty quickly still. There's a few things, like we were going to pour some of the concrete stair treads and landings this week. And we just kind of put that off to next week because no use getting a poor quality concrete pour just because of the weather. And it's not critical to do that today. So, we put a few of those things off this week, since this looked like it's going to be such a rainy week and then really hit it head on next week.

Dave Blanks: You've just got to be able to pivot and do other things.

Matt Dull: That's right and it's early enough in the project right now, kind of midway point. But you know, we still have time to make up small things like that. So, yeah.

Dave Blanks: Well, how's ... is framing complete on Laurel Creek? Correct?

Matt Dull: We're actually getting really close. So, on the wing that's closest to Trivette, right? So we've got kind of three wings, I guess. We've kind of got one that's closest to Trivette; one that's closest to Eggers and Bowie; and then we've got a central kind of core that's kind of the main lobby of the building and study rooms, that kind of stuff. So, the wing that's closest to Trivette ... yeah, it's ... the framing is all the way up to the top. We're now putting in roof trusses and decking this week. So, really the framing for all intents and purposes kind of after we get through this week, the majority of the framing will be done. The Tyvek wrap also begins this week. So, that section of the building will be fully framed and yeah, moving forward. The other parts of the building still moving forward on the west wing of the building. We're moving forward with framing there.

Matt Dull: We've moved up to the fifth floor. So now framing the fifth floor; that's the top floor of that building. So we're erecting the walls this week. Then next week we will start the roof trusses and decking on that. So, really, probably the end of next week you'll really see most of the framing will be done in those two wings. And then that central core of the building, this week we're erecting the fourth floor. Next week, we'll be kind of moving on to the fifth floor. So, it's probably another three to four weeks out — kind of Thanksgiving time-ish or beginning of December — that center core will be totally framed with all the way up to the roof with roof trusses and the roof decking on. So, we're getting close. We've done, you know, most of the framing's done on all of the sections. You know, with the framing, you know, the Tyvek wrapping is kind of the last step before we start putting the membrane on the roof and putting windows and that kind of stuff in. So, we're getting really close to having a building that's ready to kind of get those last touches for kind of drying in the building as we get into winter.

Dave Blanks: I remember previous Halloweens where we have seen some some snow.

Matt Dull: Yeah, getting ready to enter into November and the 60s and 70s.

Dave Blanks: Freaky. That's freaky.

Matt Dull: So yeah, it's great for the project. We've also just, we ... up until, you know, the past week or so, there really hadn't been a lot of rain here. So we've actually had a pretty dry kind of start to kind of end of summer/start of fall. It's actually been fairly dry. It's just been amazing. Yeah, you know, it feels like we're on the weekend rain cycle. It feels like it's so nice during the week when we all have to work, and then when we are home and able to actually get outside and do things, it's raining.

Dave Blanks: Ain't that always the way?

Matt Dull: That seems to be the way it goes.

Dave Blanks: Well, what else are we talking about today, Matt? So, framing still moving on on Laurel Creek. What else do you want to get into?

Matt Dull: Yeah. So framing is going to move along. It's finishing up in the next couple of weeks. Kind of right behind that, we've got our plumbing and electrical and mechanical rough-ins. They're making their way up the building. So, in that wing closest to Trivette, we're moving up towards the fourth floor this week. That wing closest to Eggers, we're moving up to the third floor this week. And then we're just starting the MEP rough-ins, that mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins, in that main lobby of the building and the first floor. And then that'll continue to move up as the core gets finished. So, all of that plumbing work, electrical work, mechanical work, all of that is underway and moving forward, kind of throughout the building, and just kind of following, you know, a week or so behind, if you will, behind. As the floor finishes up, the plumbers and electricians, they'll be kind of on that floor the following week to two weeks, starting the rough-in for that floor.

Matt Dull: So things are progressing nicely. Again, you mentioned weather and just to have warmer weather and not these frigid temperatures while you're out there doing the framing and all of this work in an unconditioned building, it all makes a difference in being able to get some of this stuff moving quickly.

Dave Blanks: What about Justice? You want to talk about it?

Matt Dull: Yeah. Justice is gone. The building itself is gone. This week, there's some old footings on the east side of justice hall that need to be removed to get ready for New River Hall to be built there. And then debris haul-off continues this week. But really, by the end of next week, all of it will be gone. So all the debris is gone. All of the footings work is gone, is taken care of, all those fittings are removed and we've got a clean building site to start New River Hall. So we're getting to the end of, kind of the Justice Hall demolition here in the next two weeks or so.

Dave Blanks: All right. Sounds good. Anything else we want to cover today, Mr. Dull?

Matt Dull: Yeah, let's see. I think the last thing, you know, we've got, we've been doing some steam utility work, replacing a lot of our steam lines. We've completed the last run of steam pipe this week, or will be completing it this week. So we'll finish up some of that related mechanical and electrical work on the steam line this week. Testing of the steam line will start next week. We'll start doing some final paving of Stadium Heights Drive from what was kind of torn up to be able to install the steam line. And, really, the steam part of phase two should be all finished up by Thanksgiving. So, we're kind of two to three weeks away from the utility, kind of, underground utility work on that steam line. That also includes replacing some of our fiber line, which is where we get our kind of internet and phone service on campus, replacing all that at the same time, redoing some of our water mains. So, all of that kind of site utility work that's around Laurel Creek Hall we'll be finishing up here right before Thanksgiving. So that'll really draw in the construction site to be just the building and kind of a courtyard in front of Laurel Creek. So, it's nice to be getting some things checked off the list. And so that the team can really just focus in on getting that building dried in and finished up.

Dave Blanks: Excellent. It sounds like a lot of good progress.

Matt Dull: Yeah. Things are moving forward.

Dave Blanks: Well, thanks for the update, Matt. I really appreciate it. We'll do it again.

Matt Dull: Sounds good. Thanks, Dave.