From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #37
Posted: March 5, 2007

Work on the enhancements to the MEB atrium is substantially complete. All of the painting has been completed. The new floor tile has been installed on the atrium floor, on the ramps leading to the MEB and in the elevator lobby of the Nursing/Allied Health Building. The carpet has been installed on the upper portion of the atrium. New furniture has been delivered and installed. Students are already using the atrium as a location to gather and study.

All of the old ceiling tile in the Clinic and Administration Buildings at the Dental School has been removed in a combined effort by LSUHSC Facility Services personnel and a contractor hired to assist in the efforts. A new contract is being developed to provide for the removal of the grid that suspended the old ceiling tiles. The LSUHSC Industrial Hygienist has completed his review of the environmental remediation and duct cleaning bid specifications and the two bids will be put on the street in the near future. The new motor control center has been installed.

LSUHSC Facility Services is finalizing their work with the Dental School architects to develop plans for replacing the old ceiling tile in both the Clinic and Administration Buildings. The use of mold and humidity resistant tiles that are also smaller in size may present an opportunity to seek additional reimbursement from FEMA for some additional components of the replacement costs.

At 1542 Tulane Ave. the contractor continues to install additional electrical components necessary to fully power up and light the building. New submersible sump pumps have been installed that will protect the basement spaces from the intrusion of ground water during heavy rains. Repair work on various building elevators continues. Several change orders have been priced and the remaining issues related to FEMA reimbursement of those change orders are being addressed so that the work can be authorized.

Here are highlights of work that has been accomplished since our last update was posted two weeks ago.

Project to Make Temporary Repairs to the Dental School:

• The installation of the new motor control center at the Dental School Power Plant has been completed.
  • Three sections of the old motor control center were removed from the Power Plant and the contractor disassembling the largest unit so that it could also be removed.
  • The old motor control center components have been removed from the campus.
  • The flood damaged transformer removed from the Dental School some time ago has also been picked up and moved from the site.
• The contractor replaced the first of four electrical sub-panels that are to be replaced in the Administration Building. This work was coordinated with the elevator contractor, since it temporarily interrupted power to the elevators.
• The electrical contractor has continued working on the installation of conduit, wiring, etc. needed in the 5^th floor telecom room in the Clinic Building.
  • The State Contract representative of the telephone switch manufacturer began their inspection of the Dental School.This will allow them to prepare the cost estimates for re-cabling the switch in the new 5^th floor location.
• The contractor hired to assist in removing ceiling tiles from the Dental School buildings has finished with the removal of the tiles in both the Clinic and Administration Buildings.
  • They cleaned and dusted the areas in which ceiling tiles have been removed.
  • A new contract to remove the ceiling tile grid is being put into place.
  • The architects came on site to assess how the new 2 x 2 ceiling grid will be installed in the Clinic and Administration buildings, and how the new grid will impact on the existing sprinkler system and the placement of the HVAC vents.
• A subcontractor re-insulated two pipes on one of the replacement chillers in the Dental School Power Plant.
• The Dental School elevator contractor is continuing to work on the elevators in both the Administration and Clinic Building.
  • The State Elevator Inspector came out and did a safety check on the four elevators in the Clinic Building.
• The 110 volt power supply was connected to the chemical treatment station in the Dental School Power Plant.

Project to Make Temporary Repairs to 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• The 1542 Tulane Ave. contractor continues his work on installing electrical panels, running conduit, and installing new lighting in basement.
  • They now have most of the lights in the basement installed and in service. The insulation contractor is progressing on the insulation of the chilled water pipes.
  • They are also checking electrical panels on upper floors to determine which ones have not yet been energized.
• The elevator contractor continues to change out the damaged panels in the elevators.
• The project to insulate the new pipes in the 1542 Tulane Ave. basement continues.
  • The insulation of the chilled water pipes is progressing well.
  • The insulation of the steam lines has also begun.
• The contractor received some electrical cables for the switch gear located on the fourth floor.
• The mechanical subcontractor has installed plates over the new sumps in the basement and has cleaned out the last sump.

MEB Atrium Renovation:

• The installation of the new floor tile in the lower portion of the MEB atrium has been completed.
• The installation of the floor tile in the elevator lobby of the Nursing/Allied Health Building has been completed.
• The installation of the floor tile on the ramps leading from the atrium space to the MEB has been completed.
• All of the new light fixtures have been installed and are operating in the atrium.
• The hand rails have been reinstalled on the walls of the two ramps that lead from the atrium into the MEB.
• The top rails of the new knee walls that line the upper portion of the atrium have been installed. Finishing and painting still remain to be completed.
• Patching and repainting of walls is in progress.
• The new furniture (seating, tables, etc.) has been delivered and installed in the upper portion of the atrium.

Miscellaneous:

• The contract to restore electrical power to the various parking lots on the downtown campus is progressing well.
  • The electrical contractor is working on installing the conduit run from Student Lot 2 to Student Lot 3.
  • They still have to finish the unistrut on Student Lot 1 (formerly Student Lot 5).
  • The contractor who is repairing or replacing damaged parking lot controls, gates, arms, etc. is working on the access controls on the ramp leading to upper floors of the Roman St. Garage. He expects to be substantially completed with his entire contract shortly.

We encourage you to follow the details of our progress through the daily updates which are posted on the web site.