Campus Construction Update for Dec. 7

These are among the construction activities scheduled Dec. 7-13 at the University of Wyoming.

Fire Alarm Testing -- Annual fire alarm testing of campus facilities is scheduled to begin Dec. 1 and continue through Jan. 16. Intermittent alarms will sound throughout various building locations while devices are being tested. Schedules will be sent to building contacts for notification of test dates and times. Signs will be posted before testing takes place.

Snow Removal -- Physical Plant crews will remove snow as needed throughout the season. Watch for snow removal equipment, be careful and safe during snow events, and call the Service Desk, 766-6225, to report ice spots and problem areas.

The UW Facilities Planning Office reports the following activities for the period:

Michael B. Enzi STEM Facility (General contractor AP Wyoming, Cheyenne; Lewis Street between 10th and 11th streets; scheduled completion May 2015) -- Please note that this project is being managed and administered by the State Construction Office. The intersection of 11th and Lewis is open for pedestrian and vehicle traffic. There will be minor utility work to complete steam line and stormwater work in the intersection of 11th and Lewis streets. With the arrival of winter, asphalt will not be available for patching, and street repair work will be limited to gravel fill to match the elevation of the adjacent asphalt.

Construction activity on site is increasing as the building is starting to be enclosed. Structural steel work is nearly complete. It is expected that the crane will be removed before Christmas. Building enclosure is proceeding on the west, south and north with sheathing and masonry work. Roof work is proceeding on the west and will move east as areas are complete. Installation of curtain wall and glass will start as weather permits. Construction of interior walls is continuing on all floors in conjunction with the rough-in of mechanical and electrical systems. Watch for construction traffic on Lewis, 10th, 11th and Bradley streets. For safety, pedestrians should make eye contact with equipment operators and delivery drivers outside the fenced area so they are aware of their presence. There will be equipment moving materials from storage to site. You can visit the webcam here.

Half Acre Gymnasium Addition and Renovation (General contractor Groathouse Construction Inc., Cody; scheduled completion of Phase 1, east reconstruction/addition, Jan. 20, 2015; Phase 2, historic west renovation, spring 2015) -- Full project information is available here. Construction progress can be observed via the project webcam here. Half Acre Gymnasium remains open and accessible via the west entrance. The day lot parking area and roadway immediately east of Half Acre Gymnasium are closed. Temporary day-use parking has been established in the lot east of the Wyoming Union.

Construction and staging areas north, south and east of the existing building have been established and are closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic, except that which is construction related. Access to Prexy’s Pasture from the east Wyoming Union parking lot between Half Acre and the Wyoming Union is closed until further notice. Please use alternate routes through the Wyoming Union or between the Union and Coe Library. Heavy truck traffic, including construction materials transport, concrete trucks and other haulers, will be frequent on Willett Drive west of 15th Street and along the perimeter of the Wyoming Union parking lot. Temporary traffic controls and signs are either in place or will be established as needed by specific site activities.

Phase 1 east reconstruction/addition construction is now focused on interior finish and/or preparatory work for finishes in all areas. Drywall finishing, specialty plaster, priming and painting, ceiling systems, tile and specialty flooring, casework and building specialties, and building systems work are progressing on all floors. Though the exterior building enclosure has been “dried-in” for a number of weeks as is necessary to facilitate interior finish work, exterior building finish work -- primarily stone and brick masonry -- continues from south to east to north. Specialty building equipment, including climbing wall/pinnacle components, are in process toward final installation. Building HVAC start-up is pending as necessary to begin conditioning of spaces in preparation for temperature- and moisture-dependent finish work. Subgrade exterior site work is generally complete, allowing hardscape and non-weather-dependent landscaping to proceed as weather allows.

Pedestrian pathways north of Half Acre Gymnasium between Prexy’s Pasture and Willett Drive remain open; however, the continuing construction in this vicinity will result in increased congestion. Willett Drive west of 15th Street and south of Wyoming Hall has reopened to normal traffic. Site improvement work along the south perimeter of Willett Drive will continue. Site improvement work will impact portions of the parking lot east of the Wyoming Union through Dec. 31. Normal vehicular access to the parking lot will remain open; however, construction work along the north perimeter of this lot will require some temporary detours in that area. Temporary traffic controls and signs will be established as needed by specific site activities. Please observe all posted traffic control, construction signs and temporary flagging in the affected areas.

Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center:

-- Spruce Court (General contractor Arcon Inc., Laramie) -- Current activities include hand rail installation. Service vehicles entering campus from the gate at 9 1/2 Lewis St. should use caution.

-- Sculpture Installation (Artist Walczak & Heiss, Brooklyn, N.Y.) -- Installation consists of cast metal sculptures of animals placed around the building site and interior. Each sculpture will have a mechanism for viewing unique video-based content. Further work on the installation has been suspended until spring 2015.

Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts (General contractor Sampson Construction, Cheyenne; Fine Arts Building renovation and expansion; scheduled completion March 2015) -- The parking lot on the east side of the Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts is closed and is being used for construction staging. Building visitors should use the parking lot on the north side of the building. Those entering the Performing Arts Center must now enter through the doors on the building’s west side. This will be the entrance for all building operations, including classes, ticket purchases and performances, until construction is complete.

The parking lot south of the building is partially closed through December for new sanitary and storm sewer pipe installation. Exterior framing, sheathing and vapor barrier installation is complete. Masonry stone work will begin in the next two weeks on the east side. Exterior glazing will continue on the south and east sides this week. Roofing is complete. Interior framing/drywall/taping, rough-in plumbing, duct work and electrical work are ongoing. Interior painting and floor/wall tile installation have begun. The northwest addition drywall installation and tapping is nearly complete, and exterior masonry will be completed this week. Work in the existing building is ongoing, with display boards, curtains, acoustic wall panels, AV and carpeting ongoing. Heavy truck traffic will be frequent near War Memorial Fieldhouse, 22nd Street and Willett Drive, and along the road west of the College of Law Building.

Biological Sciences Building Mechanical Modifications (General contractor Independent Heating and Sheet Metal, Laramie) -- Final roof installation began Dec. 1. Animals are moved back into the Vivarium.

ESCo Project (Long Energy Solutions, Casper) -- Engineering air distribution and control work is nearly complete. Exhaust upgrades will continue for one more week in the penthouse.

The UW Physical Plant has 301 projects in progress valued at more than $40.5 million. Following is a list of ongoing construction activities in areas of campus that may impact you:

Education Annex West Stairwell (General Contractor, Arcon Inc., Laramie, scheduled completion February 15, 2015) -- The west stairwell will be remodeled to match the east stairwell, including an upgrade to energy-efficient lighting. The demolition of the existing wall-mount rail and stair treads will start the week of Dec. 8. The west stairwell will be closed except for emergency exiting. Please be aware of crews and equipment in the area.

Spanish Walk, River Village and Landmark Apartments (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Maintenance work will be ongoing throughout the winter break in various buildings of the apartment complexes. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Wyoming Union (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Renovations to Rolling Mill Café and CJ’s convenience store will begin Dec. 22 and continue through Jan. 16. Rolling Mill and CJ’s will be closed for the duration of the renovation. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Student Health (Commercial Flooring, Cheyenne, January 2015) – Flooring renovations will begin Dec. 22 and will continue through Jan. 19. Corridors may be closed for a short time. Please use caution around crews.

Information Technology Center (Encore Electric, Englewood, June 2015) – Improvements to the UPS System will begin the week of Dec. 8. Work will be mainly above the ceiling space on the first floor, east side of the building. Local coordination will be via Jerome Lindsey. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Downey Hall (Wyoming Sealants, Saratoga, December 2014) -- Caulking on the northeast corner of the building is scheduled to begin the week of Dec. 8, weather permitting. Anticipated completion is Dec. 19. The contractor will mobilize an 80-foot lift to complete the work. Please use caution in this area.

Animal Science/Molecular Biology Building (Mullen’s Heating Inc., Laramie, December 2014) -- Energy efficiency and air quality upgrades to the air-handling units have begun. Building occupants may notice periodic interruptions to air flow within the building.

1217 Lewis Street Apartments (Summit Trucking and House Moving, May 2015) -- The apartments at 1217 Lewis St. are being deconstructed. Asbestos remediation for the interior of the foundation structure has been completed. Additional abatement will coincide with excavation for demolition. The top portion of the apartments will be moved off site, the remaining foundation demolished and the site cleared and leveled. The project is scheduled to be substantially complete by May 1, 2015. Please use caution near this area.

Visual Arts Building (General contractor D.C. Drilling LLC, Lusk; scheduled completion December 2014) -- Well construction is complete between the Centennial Complex and the Visual Arts Building. Well cleaning and testing will begin the week of Dec. 8. The western half of the Visual Arts parking lot will remain blocked off. Please use caution near equipment in the area.

Energy Innovation Center (General Contractor Arcon Inc., Laramie, December 2014) -- Work is ongoing to install a new floor sink in the ground-floor mechanical room. Be aware of crews working in this area.

Information Technology Center (Arcon Inc., Laramie, November 2014) -- Installation of a double door, on the main floor’s south hallway, is complete.

Lewis Street (Mechanical Systems Inc., Cheyenne, June 2015) -- Lewis Street will remain closed from 10th Street to 11th Street. Excavation work is suspended until spring. Portions of Lewis Street and the main drive in Greenhill Cemetery will be barricaded temporarily for ongoing work in vaults. 

Health Sciences Building (Stonehouse Inc., Laramie, November 2014) -- Excavation for the perimeter drain is complete on the south side of the Health Sciences Building. Foundation waterproofing and installation of the perimeter drain are complete. Backfill and stormwater surface grate installation are complete. Concrete repairs are scheduled for spring. Traffic control barricades will be relocated to open the walk path and entryways before winter break. Please be cautious around traffic control barricades and fencing.

Health Sciences (UW Physical Plant, January 2015) -- Work will continue through January to renovate Room 483 to create three additional rooms. Construction of walls, electrical and plumbing work will be ongoing. Please use caution near work areas.

Ross Hall -- Painting of bathroom stalls is anticipated to be complete the week of Dec. 24. Be aware of crews in these areas.

Engineering Building (General contractor Independent Heating and Sheet Metal, Laramie; scheduled completion December 2014) -- Air management and digital control upgrades to improve building efficiency are substantially complete. Air balancing and commissioning will continue through December.

Grand Avenue (UW Physical Plant, December 2014) -- Lighting work will continue through early December as remediation from the street expansion project is completed.

Biological Sciences (Mullen’s Heating Inc., Laramie, November 2014) -- Energy-efficiency and air-quality upgrades to the air-handling units are complete.

College of Business Building (Mullen’s Heating Inc., Laramie, this month) -- Energy-efficiency and air-quality upgrades to the air-handling units are complete.