Campus Construction Update for April 19

These are among the construction activities scheduled April 19-24 at the University of Wyoming:

High Altitude Performance Center -- The University of Wyoming has unveiled plans for a High Altitude Performance Center, a $44 million renovation and expansion that will triple the size of the Rochelle Athletics Center. Read more.

Wyoming Union Parking Lot (Simon Contractors, Cheyenne, August 2015) -- Phase I of the Union Lot Rehabilitation Project will begin the week of April 20. The drive east of Half Acre will be closed to through traffic. Construction will begin in the northwest corner of the lot. Deliveries to the Union dock area will be detoured south of the existing dock entrance. TransPark buses will be redirected thru the lot. Please use caution near crews and equipment. 

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

Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts (General contractor Sampson Construction, Cheyenne; Fine Arts Building renovation and expansion; scheduled completion May 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.

The parking lot south of the Performing Arts Center will be partially closed on the east for storm sewer pipe installation through May.

Flooring/wall tile, ceilings, electrical, plumbing and mechanical trim-out installations are nearly complete in the majority of the north-side addition. Interior painting, with trim-outs and clouds to follow, continues in the majority of the south-side addition. High work in the Thrust Theater is complete; lower framing and seating bowl concrete is complete, with drywall/taping starting. Recital Hall shelf framing and painting are complete, with stage wood flooring installation this week. HVAC controls wiring and programming continue. The box office has moved to a temporary location just southeast of the old box office location. The Department of Theatre and Dance northwest office addition is complete, and offices are now occupied. Punch lists are nearly complete.

Work in the existing building will include contractor access through the west lobby and lower corridor leading to the new dance studio for new construction tie-ins. Air balancing is complete, with heating water balancing starting. Commissioning of existing building AV systems is complete, with deficiency reports issued and being addressed. 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.

Half Acre Gymnasium Addition and Renovation (General contractor Groathouse Construction Inc., Cody; Phase 1 east reconstruction/addition was substantially completed March 13; Phase 2, historic west renovation, summer 2015) -- Full project information is available here.

Phase 1 of the Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center opened Monday, March 16. Punch-list tasks, building technology and transitional work toward Phase 2 renovation will continue post-occupancy. Pedestrian access to the new south building entrance from Prexy’s Pasture and from the east Wyoming Union parking lot has reopened. Please observe temporary barricades, cautionary signs or other posted instructions in areas where work will continue.

The west entrance is closed for Phase 2 renovation. Current renovation activity is primarily deconstruction work. Additional construction and staging areas are being established. Completion of Phase 2 renovation is now scheduled for late summer 2015.

Construction and staging areas north, east and west of the existing building have been established and are closed to all vehicular and pedestrian traffic, except that which is construction related. Pedestrian pathways north and south of Half Acre Gymnasium remain open; however, the continuing construction activities in this vicinity will result in increased congestion. Temporary traffic controls, barricades 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 – Laboratory 322 -- Renovation work to support research activities has begun. Though the majority of construction activities will be confined to the room, noise and vibration can be expected in adjacent spaces.

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. The sidewalk on the south side of Lewis is open, and there is access to the Earth Science/EIC loading dock. Street repair work will be limited to gravel fill until spring.

Construction activity continues throughout the building, with storefront and curtain quickly replacing the temporary enclosure, providing weather enclosure for interior work. Installation of ceiling grid has started on the first floor ahead of ceiling tile and lights. Laboratory casework is being installed, along with lab tops, on the first and second floors. Remaining casework is stocked throughout the third floor. Drywall work continues on the second floor ahead of painting. Wall framing is nearly complete, and drywall work is underway on the third floor. Mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-ins are progressing on the third floor ahead of the drywall. Installation of stairs and elevators continues. Steel trim-out, including the installation of the cornice at the top of the exterior walls, is nearing completion. There will continue to be numerous man lifts around the perimeter of the building, allowing work to progress on the exterior building skin ahead of the masonry installation. The mason will continue to work on several areas of the exterior as the air barrier (gray rolled-on membrane) is completed.

Final exterior wall system shell enclosure is proceeding on all sides, with sheathing and masonry work. Roof membrane work is complete. Flashing and trim-out of the roof are proceeding on the penthouse and lower roofs as weather permits. Installation of storefront and glass is proceeding on the west and east as weather and adjacent work permit. Curtain wall and glass installation will proceed on the north and south as adjacent work and weather permit. Materials are stocked on site, with installation proceeding as glass is fabricated. Work on the atrium interior walls and detail continues in conjunction with the rough-in of mechanical and electrical systems. Site work has started on the east along 11th Street.

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, along with ongoing delivery of materials to site from vendors. You can visit the webcam here.

The UW Physical Plant has 322 projects in progress valued at more than $44.7 million. Following is a list of ongoing construction activities in areas of campus that may impact you:

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.

Campus -- Physical Plant crews will begin turning on campus irrigation sprinkler systems. Overspray could create slippery spots on sidewalks and driveways. Please use caution.

Campus Greenhouse (Gem City Roofing, Laramie, April 2015) -- The roofs of the shop and work room are scheduled to be replaced, weather permitting. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Geology (Gem City Roofing, Laramie, April 2015) -- Shingle removal and repair at the gutter edge will occur near the south-side entrance of the building, weather permitting. Please be aware of crews and equipment in this area.

Office Annex (UW Physical Plant) -- Repairs to the sidewalk north of the building along Garfield Street are scheduled to begin April 20. Please use caution around equipment and barricades.

College of Business/Coe Library (UW Physical Plant) -- Repairs to the concrete between the two buildings is ongoing. Work will resume pending more seasonable weather. Please use caution around barricades.

Visual Arts (UW Physical Plant) -- Repairs to the sidewalk northeast of the building are ongoing.  Work will resume pending more seasonable weather. Please use caution around equipment and barricades.

Cowboy Field (Highland Landscaping, Laramie) -- The infield at Cowboy Field will be closed through May 15 to allow newly installed sod to properly take root. Please stay off of the infield grass.

Buchanan Center for Performing Arts (Arcon Inc., Laramie, July 2015) -- Parapet wall restoration is scheduled to begin. A staging area will be set south of the building, including areas of the parking lot. Please watch for crews and equipment and avoid work areas.

Health Science Living House (UW Physical Plant) -- Work in the parking area is complete. Crews will install a new valve box in the grassy area south of the retaining wall, weather permitting. Please use caution around the barricaded area south of the retaining wall.

Physical Sciences (Electrical Solutions, Laramie, April 2015) -- Work will be ongoing to upgrade LED lighting on the first floor. Please use caution near crews and equipment.

Beta House (UW Physical Plant) -- Excavation will begin April 13 to locate and replace a broken sanitary sewer main. Please use caution in this area.

Student Health First Floor Reception (Marshall Contracting, Laramie, April 2015) -- Abatement is complete, and construction is scheduled to begin in early April. Please use caution around crews.

Lewis Street (Mechanical Systems Inc., Cheyenne, July 2015) -- Pipe installation continues in the Green Hill Cemetery. Work in vaults along Lewis Street from 11th to 15th streets also continues. Please be aware of temporary barricades, crews and vehicles in the area.

Coe Library History Addition (UW Physical Plant) -- Painting operations in the northeast stairwell are ongoing. Use caution near crews and equipment.

White Hall (Arcon Inc., Laramie, April 2015) -- One hatch installation is pending. Patching and painting will occur when outdoor temperatures warm up. Please use caution around work areas.

Downey Hall (Arcon Inc., Laramie, April 2015) -- Replacement of insulation on the east-end soffit and replacement of soffit hatches are complete. Removal and repair of soffit vents and east-end painting will occur when outdoor temperatures warm up. Please use caution around work areas.

Geology/Earth Sciences (UW Information Technology; Trident Electric, Laramie, April 2015) -- Work is in progress on the east and west doorways to the atrium area. Please use caution near workers and equipment in this area.

Centennial Complex (Marshall Contracting, August 2015) -- Renovations are ongoing in the existing kitchen and dining areas on the first floor of the complex. These areas will be renovated to be used as a classroom and studio to support the Art Museum’s K-12 programs and other education initiatives. Construction is mostly contained within the existing kitchen and dining areas. Please use caution around crews and equipment in the area.

Animal Science/Molecular Biology (Fremont Electric, Laramie, April 2015) -- Installation will be ongoing for LED retrofitting in the existing lights throughout the building. Work is anticipated to take several weeks.

Classroom Upgrades Project (UW Physical Plant; Spiegelberg Lumber & Building; JC Construction; Arcon Inc., Laramie, May 2015) -- Construction is underway in Wyoming Hall Rooms 204 and 434 and Engineering Room 1044. Renovations to Ross Hall Rooms 108 and 109 are complete. Please be aware of crews and equipment in the area of these classrooms.

History Building (Arcon Inc., Laramie, June 2015) -- Renovations to the first-floor restroom and Rooms 57, 60, 152, 155 and 156 are in progress. The first-floor restroom will be closed throughout the renovation. Please use caution near crews and equipment in the basement and first-floor areas.

Information Technology Center (Encore Electric, Englewood, Colo., June 2015) -- Improvements to the UPS system are ongoing. 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.

1217 Lewis St. Apartments (Summit Trucking and House Moving, May 2015) -- The apartments at 1217 Lewis St. are being deconstructed. Asbestos abatement is underway. To facilitate work, 13 parking spaces in the southeastern-most part of the parking lot north of the Anthropology Building will be blocked off. Please use caution near this site.

Health Sciences Building (Stonehouse Inc., Laramie) -- Placement of concrete is complete.