From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #65
Posted: March 28, 2008

The majority of the flood damaged buildings on the back campus of the Dental School have been demolished. The foundations or slabs have been removed and the areas have been graded and seeded. Two small buildings remain and they should be demolished in the near future.

The construction of the temporary bookstore at the Dental School is substantially complete. The contractor is working on their punch list items and Auxiliary Enterprises has been informed that they may have the slat wall installed. The installation of new security elements is also complete at the Dental School. Access control points have been established at key entrances to the Clinic and Administration Buildings. Security cameras have been installed in key interior locations including the 1st Floor Lobby of the Clinic Building. Cameras have also been installed on the roof tops the two main buildings to monitor the parking lots and walkways.

As part of our continuing efforts to improve the security and safety of the downtown and Dental School campuses, we will activate Access Control on Monday, April 14. All faculty, staff, students and MCLNO employees (for the downtown campus) will be able to access facilities with their ID cards at any time.

Normal working hours have been defined as Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, excluding holidays. Access Control will be off during these hours, the regular entrances to buildings will be unlocked and everyone will be able to enter and exit campus buildings as they presently do. Outside of normal working hours (on weekends and holidays), the faculty member, staff person, or student must use their ID card for access. Readers are positioned at entry doors and elevators where Access Control is installed. By holding a current ID card to the reader, it will unlock the door and allow entry.

Entry via loading dock doors will be restricted to specifically authorized individuals and will not be for general access. There will be additional rooms or areas, such as specific core labs, animal care, data center, etc. where access will be restricted to specific authorized personnel.

The work to prepare the front and center sections of 1542 Tulane for occupation continued on several fronts. The duct cleaning has been completed. The majority of the environmental remediation has been completed. The project to replace ceiling tiles is progressing quickly. The painting contractor continues to apply the finish coat of paint in hallways and offices. Most of the damaged floor tile has been removed and the carpet contractor has begun to prepare the concrete sub-floors and lay carpet tile on two floors of the building. The fire alarm system replacement is nearing completion and the remaining devices are being installed, wired and tested. The upgrade of the network infrastructure in the building is progressing. The first of twenty truck loads of new furniture that replaces the damage furniture that was removed from the building is scheduled to arrive next week.

With the advent of spring, the landscaping project on the downtown campus is accelerating. Large shipments of plants have arrived and new trees have already been planted in selected locations. Additional irrigation systems are being installed and planting beds prepared.

The work to replace the roof of the MEB has slowed recently. The contractor, the roofing manufacturer, and the manufacturer of the lightweight concrete that was used to establish the slope of the new roof are involved in the follow up work as a result of the roof leaks that occurred in February. The contractor continues to remove water from under the roof material, while the roof manufacturer is assessing the condition of the new roof. The contractor has continued work on portions of the roof that were not impacted by the leaks.

The work on the replacement of the roofs on the Dental Clinic, Administration Building and Power Plant has stopped while the contractor determines the cause of moisture that they discovered under the new roof sections. They have also engaged the roof manufacturer in the analysis to determine the cause and corrective actions to be taken.

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

Lions/LSU Clinic Permanent Repairs and Mitigation:

• On Monday, March 24th, the contractor responsible for the Lions/LSU Clinics Building permanent repairs and mitigation project shut down Elevators #3 and #4 in order to begin dry flood-proofing the elevator pits. These modifications are being done to reduce damages and downtime in case of any future flood event.
  • The work on the pit for Elevators #3 and #4 will take approximately 8 weeks, during which time only Elevators #1 and #2 will be available for service.
  • Once the pit work is complete for Elevators #3 and #4, the elevators will be returned to service.
  • The contractor will then begin work on the pit for Elevators #1 and #2. The freight elevator pit will be the last one worked on.
• The demolition on the 6th Floor continues.

Repair Work at 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• Fire Alarm System:
  • Siemens has installed new smoke detectors in the elevator shafts and pits for Elevators #1, #2, #3, #7, and #8.
  • Siemens finished installing the new fire alarm wiring and devices on the 2nd Floor along Tulane Ave.
  • They continue to install new fire alarm wiring and devices along the center corridor on the 2nd Floor.
    • Siemens is testing all of the fire alarm devices installed.
    • They are trouble-shooting and repairing any problems as they are discovered during the testing.
  • The contractor is replacing any missing wire mold trim from the 3rd Floor up to the penthouse.
• They are trouble-shooting and repairing any problems as they are discovered during the testing.
• Elevator Repairs:
  • Elevator #1:
    • Stratos Elevator is working on the punch-list items.
    • They are applying touch-up paint on the elevator lobby doors.
  • Elevator #2:
    • They are working on the punch-list items.
  • Elevator #3:
    • Stratos Elevator has installing the flooring in Elevator #3.
    • They are working on the punch-list items.
  • Elevator #8:
    • Stratos replaced a broken safety and the elevator rollers.
    • They adjusted the elevator for automatic use.
    • The temporary, protective interior walls have been constructed and installed.
    • Elevator #8 has been inspected by the State Elevator Inspector and certified for normal use.
• Final Remediation and Duct Cleaning:
  • Remediation:
    • Zimmer-Eschette finished cleaning on the 2nd floor in the old section on both sides of the building.
      • Both areas passed the visual inspection and were sampled.
    • Zimmer-Eschette finished cleaning on the 1st Floor in the old section on the Charity side of the building and in the Shipping and Receiving area.
      • The area passed the visual inspection and was sampled.
    • The contractor began prepping and cleaning on the 1st floor in the old section of the building on the I-10 side.
  • Drywall Replacement:
    • The contractor finished sanding and preparing the walls and new sheetrock on the 3rd Floor for painting.
    • Crews continue to sand and prepare the walls and new sheetrock on the 2nd Floor.
• Painting:
  • The painting contractor finished applying the final coat of paint on the 4th Floor in the corridor and offices along Tulane Ave. and along the center corridor.
  • The contractor primed the offices in Suite 122 on the 1st Floor.
  • The painting contractor is applying the finish paint around the windows and doors on the 3rd Floor in the offices along Tulane Ave. and the center corridor.
  • The contractor is applying touch-up paint in the offices on the 4th Floor.
• Floor Tile Removal:
  • The contractor finished removing the floor tile on the 3rd Floor in the old section of the building on the Charity side.
    • The area passed the visual inspection and was sampled.
  • The contractor finished removing the floor tile on the 3rd floor in the old section on the I-10 side of the building.
    • The area passed the visual inspection and was sampled.
  • The contractor finished removing the floor tile from the 2nd Floor in the old section on the Charity side of the building.
  • Crews are removing floor tile from the 2nd Floor in the old section on the I-10 side of the building.
• Ceiling Tile Replacement:
  • Ceiling tile installation in the offices on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Floors is complete with the exception of the edge, trim, and corner tiles.
  • The contractor continues with the installation of ceiling tiles on the 4th through the 7th Floors.
  • The contractor is trimming and installing the edge and corner ceiling tiles on the 6th Floor.
• Carpet Installation:
  • Royerre Commercial Carpets is patching, leveling and preparing the concrete sub-floor and installing new carpet tiles in the offices along Tulane Ave. and the center corridor on the 6th Floor.
    • Cove base and transition strips are being installed in the carpeted offices along Tulane Ave.
  • The contractor began working on the 8th Floor in the offices along the center corridor.
• Network Upgrades:
  • Boe-Tel is testing the new data connections and network drops for the 7th Floor.
  • New network cable is being pulled on the 3rd Floor.

Repair Work at the Dental School:

• Temporary Bookstore:
  • The contractor finished wiring the new electric panel for the lights and outlets.
  • The 2 x 4 recessed lights have been installed in the vestibule area outside the temporary bookstore and connected to the circuit panel.
  • Sherlocks Construction completed the wiring of the fire alarm in the renovated space.
  • The recessed can lights in the vestibule over the Kells Exhibit have been installed and wired.
  • Sherlocks finished running the data and phone cables for the temporary bookstore cash registers.
  • They installed the floor outlets for the cash registers.
  • They have received the replacement door to the side offices leading to the Library and have begun to install them.
  • The work on the temporary bookstore is substantially complete. The architects punched out the work with the contractor on 3/27/2008.
    • Auxiliary Enterprises will now have the slat wall system installed.
• Elevator Repairs:
  • Elevator #8:
    • Schindler continued adjusting Elevator #8 and the interior metal panels of the elevator car were polished.
    • The emergency telephone for the elevator has been programmed.
    • Schindler cleaned the hoist way and the car-top.
    • They began installing the cab interior and are working on the punch list for the elevator.
  • Freight Elevator:
    • Repair parts needed to address the water damage from the roof leaks have been received and the repair work has begun.

• Demolition:
  • HDC Building 119 (Barracks)
    • The building has been demolished and the debris has been removed.
    • The site has been backfilled and sand has been spread.
    • The work has been completed and the punch list provided to the contractor.
  • HDC Administration Building 138 (Barracks)
    • The building has been demolished and the debris has been removed.
    • The concrete sidewalk has been demolished.
    • The site has been backfilled and sand has been spread.
    • The work has been completed and the punch list provided to the contractor.
  • HDC Building 124 (Day Care)
    • The site has been backfilled and sand has been spread.
    • The work has been completed and the punch list provided to the contractor.
  • HDC Building 180 (Library)
    • The site has been backfilled and sand has been spread.
    • The work has been completed and the punch list provided to the contractor.
  • HDC Building 100 (Storage Building)
    • Work not yet started.
    • Contract completion – On or before 4/25/08.
  • Storage Barn
    • The work has been completed and the punch list provided to the contractor.
  • Disposal Facility
    • The structure has been demolished and the debris is being removed.
    • Contract completion – On or before 4/25/08.
  • Auto Shop
    • Work not yet started.
    • Contract completion – On or before 4/25/08.
  • Green House
    • Grading and seeding has been completed.
    • The work has been completed and the punch list provided to the contractor.
• Security:
  • Securitas completed the installation of the access control equipment for the Dental School campus.
    • In the Clinic Building the following has been installed:
      • 3 still cameras and a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera in the lobby.
      • Intercoms with cameras at the 3 main entrances to the building and at the patio stairwell entrance.
      • Status locks at the single doors for Receiving and the Florida St. entrance
      • There are 3 PTZ cameras and one still camera on the roof overlooking the parking areas.
    • In the Administration Building the following has been installed:
      • 1 PTZ camera and 2 still cameras in the lobby.
      • Status locks on the entrance doors to the building.
      • 5 cameras in the temporary bookstore.
      • 1 PTZ and 2 still cameras on the roof.
      • 2 cameras in the breeze way on each floor.

MEB Roof Replacement:

• Crawford continues vacuuming out the rain water that is trapped below the lightweight concrete insulation.
• The electrical sub-contractor has completed rerouting the electrical conduit below the roof for all but one section of the manifold that feeds the building exhaust.
• The roofing contractor has also completed installing the wood base around all the equipment that is mounted on the main roof.
• Crawford has completed the installation of the 3 ply interply fiberglass membrane for all roof drains.
• The contractor has installed a majority of the wood base on the curbs for all structures on the roof including the elevator penthouse.
  • They are installing the 3 ply fiberglass membrane on the base flashing for the curbs that have woods installed.
• There are still signs of water trapped below the lightweight concrete as the contractor continues to vacuum out the water.

Downtown Landscaping Project:

• The crews trenched and began installing pipe for the irrigation system on the S. Roman St. side of the Residence Hall.
• Crews completed the installation of the irrigation station on the S. Roman St. side of the Residence Hall.
• They connected the control wires to the irrigation valves around the Residence Hall.
• A new shipment of 829 plants was received. An additional delivery from another nursery is anticipated.
• Crews planted four of the new 'Natchez' (white) crepe myrtles on the S. Prieur St. side of the Resource Center.
• New 'Drake' Chinese Elm trees were planted in the sidewalk planters around the Allied Health/Nursing Building and the MEB.
• A new shipment of 829 plants was received. An additional delivery from another nursery is anticipated.
• Crews planted four of the new 'Natchez' (white) crepe myrtles on the S. Prieur St. side of the Resource Center.
• The crews sprayed the existing vegetation on the Perdido St. side of the MEB, the Residence Hall, and the Pocket Park located in Student Parking Lot # 2 with herbicide to prepare for the final grading work.
• Plumbers completed their installation of a temporary water supply line for irrigation at 1542 Tulane Ave.

Exterior Lighting Project:

• Frischhertz continues to install new lights in Student Lot #1 under the Interstate.

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