Construction underway throughout campus

With campus relatively empty until fall quarter begins in late September, major construction and facility upgrade work coordinated by the Office of Facilities Development and Capital Budget is taking place throughout campus.

The most visible public works projects are taking place on the north end of campus. These include the exterior renovation of the Performing Arts Center and the first of a two-phase interior renovation of Nash Hall. Walking through the Old Main quad is a bit of a challenge, as several projects are underway on the north side of Wilson Library. Pedestrian detours are signed and will change as projects progress. Pedestrian detours will also be set up at the north end of Old Main for work on the fifth floor solarium and on the south side of Humanities for the brick replacement project.

The Central Campus Steam Upgrades project are impacting circulation along East College Way behind Miller Hall, Fraser Hall and Old Main; parts of the road are narrowed to one lane. For their safety, folks should avoid this area.

Several buildings on the ridge will be closed during x-ray welds on new steam and condensate piping being installed in the Ridgeway Complex. Closure signs will be posted.

Other public works projects with fewer impacts are sprinkled throughout campus, with the majority in buildings facing Haskell Plaza. More information can be found on the campus construction map. Check “construction” under the “Features” tab in the upper right hand corner. Then, click on individual buildings with orange dots for project information. Contact the project manager if you have questions or concerns.

A list of projects currently underway can be found on the website for the Office of Facilities Development and Capital budget. A list of work impacts and closures also is online.

The Facilities Management crews also will be busy with in-house maintenance projects to keep campus running smoothly and efficiently. These projects include, but aren’t limited to, restroom upgrades in the Humanities basement, installation of carbon monoxide detectors in Birnam Wood, replacement of exterior and bedroom suite doors in Ridgeway Gamma, new window blinds in the Science, Mathematics and Technology Education building, interior painting in Ridgeway Omega and Sigma, and site work along South College Drive. For additional information, please contact the Facilities Management Work Control Center at 360-650-3420.

Additionally, the City of Bellingham is upgrading the sidewalks on 25th Street between Bill MacDonald Parkway and Douglas Avenue. The work began on June 16 and should be completed by early September. This segment of 25th Street is closed to traffic during the daytime, with local access returned in the evenings. Call the City Public Works Administration and Engineering Department with questions or concerns about this project at 360-778-7900.