From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #79
Posted: October 24, 2008

The contractor and subcontractors working at 1542 Tulane Ave. are pressing to complete their projects so that reoccupation of portions of that building can begin. Developed in coordination with the Dean of the School of Medicine, the plan begins by moving individuals into the building starting on the upper floors and moving down to lower floors as work is completed on a floor by floor basis. Floors 5 through 8 will be occupied first and the initial move is scheduled for the week of November 17th. Selected spaces on the 1st Floor will also be put back into use early on. In this way, we hope to be able to bring faculty and staff into areas where there is little or no construction that remains to be completed and the related disruption will be minimized.

On the 8th Floor, the planned work is substantially complete and the post-construction cleaning is underway. New furniture has been placed in the offices and rooms that will be reoccupied. The lounge area walls have been dry walled and painted on the 5th, 6th and 7th Floors and the ceiling grid has been installed on the 6th and 7th Floors. The fire alarm components are being roughed for the lounges on Floors 5 through 7. Furniture has been installed and arranged in the 7th Floor rooms and in selected spaces on the 1st Floor. Post-construction cleaning has begun on the 7th Floor. The repairs to Elevator #4 are substantially complete; the elevator has been inspected and a punch list has been developed.

The contractor continues to make good progress on the renovations to Dental School Auditoriums A & B. The new walls in both auditoriums have been framed up. Conduit and electrical wiring for the ceiling light fixtures have been run in both rooms and recessed light fixtures were installed. The rough in electrical work for the receptacles has been finished in Auditorium A. Wood supports for the handrails and baseboards in Auditorium A & B have been installed and the soffit for the ceiling in both rooms has been framed.

The project to renovate 6th and 8th Floor laboratory spaces in the Dental Clinic Building is moving forward. The domestic water lines were capped in Rooms 6333 and 6335 and the vacuum piping for Room 8405 is in place. The mechanical subcontractor removed waste lines in Rooms 6333 and 6335, and installed a new vent and drain in Room 6333. The new walls in Room 8405 were framed and the mechanical contractor finished the de-ionized water piping installation and pressure testing for the 6th and 8th Floor labs. The horizontal gas and vacuum piping inside the interior walls of the tissue culture room in Room 8405J have been installed and the drain line for the fume hood in Room 6335 is in place. The general contractor removed the door and frame at the south entrance of Room 8405 and they framed the exterior wall for Room 8405K and the south entrance of Room 8405.

In the Resource Center Library, the project to create the new Commons area continues. The sprinkler contractor removed existing sprinkler piping that conflicted with the new ceiling layout and new sprinkler piping and sprinklers have been installed above the coffee kiosk, near the entrance and in the Commons area. Duct work that was interfering with the new ceiling has been relocated and new duct work was installed in the multimedia room, near the center stairwell and near the Library entrance. Additional sheet rock has been installed in the same areas.

The effort to make the permanent repairs and complete the hazard mitigation work at the Lions/LSU Clinic Building continues. The iron contractor has the steel frame for the exterior stairwell fully erected and welded. The stairs and handrails for all floors have been installed and welded. The steel roof panel is in place and attached. The new casework and countertops for the 7th Floor lab have been installed. The mechanical subcontractor piped in water, waste, air, and vacuum lines for the new fume hood on the 7th Floor. The duct work for the hood has been connected and valves installed. A significant amount of effort is being expended on the HVAC, the plumbing, and the electrical systems on the 1st, 2nd, 6th, and 7th Floors.

The renovations to Multi-Disciplinary Lab #5 are nearing completion. The majority of the network cabling has been finished and tested. Several of the large LCD monitors have been installed. The panels and countertops for the middle island in all 4 quadrants of the lab have been installed. The four pedestal frames have been installed in the center of the lab and the countertops for the pedestals are in place. Electrical receptacles have been mounted and wired in the pedestal frames. The MEB 4th Floor ceiling replacement is substantially complete. The fire alarm caps and the four large supply air ducts have been installed. The tray ceilings located in the two student study areas have been painted.

Some additional work needed to complete the MEB 2nd Floor lobby renovations has been identified. The concrete ceiling that is to be painted was rougher in many areas that was anticipated, so the pans of all the ceiling sections are being skim coated to provide a smooth surface to which paint can be applied. While that work is in progress, the new glass store fronts have been delivered to the site and the wood blocking that is necessary for installation of the store fronts is being installed. The old HVAC duct work has been removed. Supports for the new ceilings have been installed and the installation of ceiling grid has started on the Roman St. side of the lobby.

Over at the Residence Hall, the contractor built the concrete forms and poured the concrete for the curbs that will support the new glass store fronts at the Bolivar St. entrance and the Roman St. side of the lobby. The flooring contractor placed a coat of concrete primer on the floor between Tower A and Tower B and poured a final layer of self-leveling concrete over the entire area. Multiple rows of new porcelain tiles have been laid across the floor between the towers and the tile joints have been grouted.

The upgrade to the audio/visual equipment in Auditorium A in the Medical Education Building is substantially complete and is being used. As minor issues arise in the use of the new state of the art systems, Computer Services is addressing them. The update effort in Auditorium B is expected to be finished in December. The A/V upgrades in Auditorium B will be exactly the same as those in Auditorium B.

Here are highlights of work that has been accomplished during the past two weeks.

NOTICE: On Monday, October 27th, Schindler Elevator will begin the upgrade process of the final elevator in the Medical Education Building; Elevator #8, commonly referred to as the Animal Care Elevator. Elevator #8 has two doors; a front and rear door and opens directly onto the loading dock. We expect this elevator to be out of service for 12 weeks.

Repair Work at 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• Lighting:
  • The electrical contractor installed new light fixtures in Conference Room 728.
  • The electrical contractor installed new light fixtures in Conference Room 756.
  • The electrical contractor installed new light fixtures in Conference Room 524.
  • The electrical contractor continues installing new light fixtures in conference rooms on the 6th Floor.
• Lounge Areas:
  • Crews taped and floated the sheetrock wall in the lounge on the 5th Floor.
  • The contractor sanded the lounge walls in preparation for primer and paint.
  • The general contractor completed painting lounge walls on the 5th, 6th and 7th Floors.
  • The fire alarm contractor continued roughing in strobes and speakers in the lounges on the 5th, 6th and 7th Floors.
  • The contractor installed suspended ceiling grid in the lounges on the 6th and 7th Floors and started installation of ceiling grid in the lounges on the 4th and 5th Floors.

• Furniture:
  • The furniture vendor finished the installation and arrangement of furniture in offices on the 7th Floor.
  • The furniture vendor completed the furniture placement on the 1st Floor.
  • Crews moved furniture assigned to the 4th Floor from the staging areas in the parking garage to the 4th Floor annex.
  • The furniture vendor continues arranging new furniture in offices on the 5th Floor.
• Elevator Repairs:
  • The elevator contractor is making final preparations for the formal inspection of Elevator #4.
  • Elevator #4 (freight elevator) was inspected and a punch list generated.
• Cleaning:
  • The construction cleaning contractor has been completing the final (post construction) cleaning on the 8th Floor.
    • They shampooed the 8th Floor office carpets.
    • Crews returned to cleaned areas that failed inspection on the 8th Floor.
  • They continued cleaning on the 7th Floor and began cleaning on the 6th Floor.
    • The construction cleaning contractor shampooed the 7th Floor office carpets.
• Misc.:
  • The general contractor continues repairing the ceiling grid in the front hallway on the 5th and 6th Floors.
  • A cool room on the 5th Floor has been demolished.
  • LSUHSC Facility Services repaired locks on the exterior loading dock doors.
  • LSUHSC Facility Services personnel are installing new paper towel and soap dispensers in restrooms on all floors.

Dental School Auditoriums A & B:

• The general contractor framed up walls in Auditoriums A and B.
• The electrical subcontractor installed junction boxes and to mount hardware for the ceiling light fixtures in Auditorium A.
• The insulation subcontractor is labeling the HVAC piping.
• The electrical contractor installed recessed light fixtures in Auditoriums A and B.
• The contractor completed sheetrock work in both auditoriums.
• The general contractor installed wood supports for the handrails and baseboards in Auditorium A & B and framed the soffit for the ceiling in Auditorium A & B.
• The electrical subcontractor installed wiring and conduit for the power receptacles in Auditorium A.
• The electrical contractor installed wiring and conduit for the sconces and receptacles in Auditorium B.
• The general contractor installed wood supports for the baseboards in Auditorium A along the east wall.
• The contractor installed metal framing for the soffit and ceiling in Auditorium B.

Dental School 6^th and 8^th Floor Laboratory Renovations:

• The domestic water lines were capped in Rooms 6333 and 6335.
• The mechanical contractor installed vacuum piping for Room 8405.
• The general contractor removed thimbles from the demolished lab casework in Room 8405.
• The mechanical subcontractor removed waste lines in Rooms 6333 and 6335, and installed a new vent and drain in Room 6333.
• They framed up the new walls in Room 8405.
• The mechanical contractor finished the de-ionized water piping installation and pressure testing for the 6th and 8th Floor labs.
• The mechanical contractor installed horizontal gas and vacuum piping inside the interior walls of the tissue culture room in Room 8405J.
• They installed the drain line for the fume hood in Room 6335.
• The general contractor removed the door and frame at the south entrance of Room 8405.
• They framed the exterior wall for Room 8405K and the south entrance of Room 8405.

Dental School Permanent Roof Replacement:

• The contractor finished installing cap sheets over roofing sheets marred by foot traffic.
• The contractor installed the final sheet metal vent caps on the Administration Building roof and finished installing roofing cap sheets over the marred roof sheets.
• The contractor removed the dumpster and excess materials from the job site.
• The project is complete, pending the final inspection(s).

Library Commons Project:

• The sprinkler contractor removed existing sprinkler piping that conflicted with the new ceiling layout.
• The contractor painted the concrete ceiling of the Library.
• The contractor continues to sheetrock in the elevator lobby and the cafe area.
  • The contractor installed sheetrock in areas near the Library entrance and in the back area of the cafe.
  • The contractor installed sheetrock around the stairs.
• LSUHSC electricians ran feeds to the new electrical panel.
• The mechanical contractor relocated ductwork that conflicted with the ceiling.
• The contractor installed sprinkler piping above the coffee kiosk.
• The contractor installed fire sprinklers near the Library entrance.
• The contractor installed fire sprinklers in the hall of the Commons.
• The contractor removed all of the existing fire sprinkler piping and installed fire sprinklers in the café area.
• Ductwork has been installed in the multimedia room.
• The contractor installed ductwork near the center stairwell.
• The contractor installed ductwork near the Library entrance.

Lions/LSU Clinic Permanent Repairs and Mitigation:

• The mechanical subcontractor insulated supply duct on the 6th Floor Gravier St. side of the building.
  • Crews are installing branch lines to the VAV boxes on the Gravier St./S. Prieur St. side of the 6th Floor.
  • A VAV that was in way of duct on the 6th Floor was raised.
  • They re-piped the raised VAV.
  • ID tagged the domestic hot and cold water lines and the heating hot water lines on the 6th and 7th Floors.
  • Crews continue installed piping outside of the elevator lobby to connect to the sump pump that will be installed in the pit of Elevator 1 and 4 and in the pit for the freight elevator on the 1st Floor.
  • Support carriers for the water closets and urinals in the S. Prieur St. side bathroom on the 1st Floor were installed.
  • Supply duct has been run in the mechanical room on the Bolivar St. side of the 1st Floor.
  • They moved a vent line in the bathroom on the 6th Floor that conflicted with a duct.
  • The subcontractor trimmed out cabinets and a fume hood on the 7th Floor and welded the exhaust for the fume hood.
  • The mechanical subcontractor piped in water, waste, air, and vacuum lines for the new fume hood on the 7th Floor.
  • They installed valves for the fume hood on the 7th Floor and installed the duct for the fume hood on the 7th Floor.
  • They moved a gas line that was in way of a new fume hood on the 7th Floor.
  • Water closet and urinal carriers were installed in the S. Prieur St. side bathroom on the 1st Floor.
  • The mechanical subcontractor tested the heating hot water line on the 6th Floor.
  • They roughed in the waste and vent lines for the urinals and the toilets in the bathroom on the 1st Floor.
  • The mechanical subcontractor installed sinks and faucets in the 7th Floor lab.
  • They insulated the heating hot water lines going to the VAV on the 6th Floor.
  • The mechanical subcontractor installed three sinks and faucets in the 7th Floor lab.
• The electrical subcontractor installed new conduit for the new breaker box on the 2nd Floor in the electrical room located on the S. Prieur St side of the building.
  • Conduit was run to the new panel in the 1st Floor electrical room.
  • They wired the sump pump for Elevators 2 and 3 on the 1st Floor.
  • The electrical subcontractor installed lights and receptacles in the pit for Elevators 2 and 3 on the 1st Floor.
  • The electrical subcontractor moved the transformer on the S. Prieur St. side of the 2nd Floor.
  • They powered the medical gas alarms in the simulation rooms on the 6th Floor.
  • The electrical subcontractor trimmed out the electrical devices on the 7th Floor.
  • They ran electrical feeders to provide power to the rollup door on the 6th Floor.
  • The electrical subcontractor installed lights on the 6th Floor on the CSRB side of the building.
  • They ran wire for the new lights in the elevator lobby on the 6th Floor.
• The iron subcontractor welded the exterior stairwell frame on the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Floors.
  • They welded the saddles on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th Floors.
  • The iron subcontractor welded the landings on the 3rd and 4th Floors.
  • They installed the deck and stair closures on the 4th through the 6th Floors.
  • The iron subcontractor welded the frame for the stairwell roof and the joints where each stair level meets.
  • The roof decking was welded in place.
• The sprinkler subcontractor is installing sprinkler heads on the 6th Floor.
  • The fire sprinkler subcontractor installed fire sprinklers on the 6th Floor Gravier St./S. Prieur St. side of the building.
  • They relocated sprinkler heads on the 1st Floor on the S. Prieur St. side.
• The casework subcontractor installed new laboratory casework on the 7th Floor.　
  • The casework subcontractor installed countertops on laboratory casework in the 7th Floor lab.
• The contractor is sealing wall penetrations throughout the 6th Floor.
  • Crews continue installing door frames throughout the 6th Floor.
  • They formed up the slab on the 1st Floor by the bathrooms on the Bolivar St. side.
  • The new housekeeping pads were framed up in the 2nd Floor mechanical room for the medical air and gas equipment.
  • They poured the concrete for the housekeeping pads for the medical air and vacuum equipment on the 2nd Floor.
  • CMU walls have been installed on the S. Prieur St. side of the 1st Floor.
  • They re-waterproofed the elevator pit on the 1st Floor.
  • They installed projector screens on the CSRB side of the 6th Floor.
  • The walls of the Womens bathroom on the Bolivar St. side of the 6th Floor were insulated.
  • They installed sheetrock in the Bolivar St. side bathroom on the 6th Floor.
  • Rails for the removable wall panels on the 6th Floor were installed.
  • The sheetrock ceiling on the 1st Floor across from the security desk was removed to allow for the installation of the new door.
  • They installed fur downs on the 6th Floor on the S. Prieur side.
  • The fur downs on the 6th Floor CSRB side were taped and floated.
  • A crew began cleaning the granite on the outside of the building on the Bolivar St. side of the 1st Floor.

MEB 4^th Floor - MDL #5 Renovations:

• The network wiring contractor tested the new data cables and connections.
• The audio/visual subcontractor installed four 65" LCD monitors in MDL 5.
• The casework contractor installed panels and countertops for the middle island in all 4 quadrants of the lab.
• The contractor removed pipe thimbles from floor.
• The contractor installed cove base wrapping the new casework.
• The contractor adjusted light fixtures, sprinkler caps, and patched the flooring.
• The contractor replaced the four center pedestal frames in the main MDL room.
• The contractor installed coax cables and the control boxes for the 65" and 42" LCD monitors.
• The audio/visual subcontractor installed three of the four 42" LCD monitors in the center of the MDL.
• The contractor installed countertops for the pedestal frames in the MDL lab.
• The contractor installed electrical receptacles for the pedestal frames in the MDL room.

MEB 2nd Floor Lobby Renovation:

• The contractor delivered the frames for the glass storefronts and the store doors.
• They installed wood blocking for the installation of the frames for the storefront glass and doors.
• The contractor installed ceiling supports for the drop ceiling on the Bolivar St. side and started installing new ceiling grid outside Room 2104.
• The contractor installed ceiling grid on the Roman St. side of the lobby.
• The mechanical subcontractor removed the existing supply and return air ductwork.
• The contractor is skim coating the pans of the honeycomb ceiling to create a smooth finish once it is painted.

MEB 4th Floor Ceiling Replacement:

• The contractor installed the fire sprinklers caps.
• The contractor installed four large return air grilles.
• The contractor painted the tray ceiling in the student study area on the S. Roman St. side of the building.
• The contractor painted the tray ceiling on the Bolivar St side of the building.

Residence Hall 2^nd Floor Expansion:

• The contractor built the concrete forms for the storefront curbs at the Bolivar St. entrance and the Roman St. side of the Residence Hall.
• The contractor poured concrete for the new storefront curbs.
• The flooring contractor placed a coat of concrete primer on the floor between Tower A and Tower B.
• The contractor removed sprinkler piping from the new mailbox location.
• The contractor placed three eighths of an inch of self-leveling concrete from Tower A to Tower B on the 2nd Floor of Residence Hall.
• The flooring contractor installed fourteen rows of porcelain tiles between Towers A and B.
• The contractor grouted the new tiles that have been laid between the A and B Towers.

Downtown Landscaping Project:

• Facility Services continued grading the landscape and setting planter bed edging in front of 1542 Tulane Avenue.

Residence Hall Walkway Resurfacing:

• The contractor placed three more sections of the stamped concrete surface.

Trash Compactors:

• All of the new trash compactors around campus have been tested and are ready for normal use.
• The new trash compactors installed around campus were put into operation.
• The trash compactor vendor hauled away the old trash compactors and components.

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