Campus Construction

[HelmutVII]

Please educate me on what you are referencing above.

Thanks.

GEAUX UL!

This is what I understand happened with Fletcher Hall. To make a long story short. The award of the design of Fletcher Hall was an open competition amongst Architectural firms in an attempt to get more competition. The winning design was selected as the building you see today. They used many different types of construction techniques and processes in an attempt to illustrate to the students what can be done in a building. It is in essence, a laboratory for the Architecture students. Unfortunately, during the course of construction, the budget got busted. The central courtyard was to have a sky light and be an indoor space. Because of the cost over run, they left the skylight out of the project. Soooo all the doors and stairs in the central courtyard that were supposed to be inside are now outside. Anybody want to guess how long an interior door will last in an exterior environment? The result is, the building is a maintenance nightmare in addition to not blending in with the remaining buildings on campus. The building is a great example for the students as to how NOT to do a project. You might also note that there is no plaque on the building to Identify the architect, contractor or any of the responsible parties involved in the design and construction of the building. In short, the building is just wrong on many levels. If anybody else has anything to add or correct please do so because all of what I posted is from memory.

[BeauCajun]

Football players were moving into Baker yesterday.

[ULEverywhere]

This is what I understand happened with Fletcher Hall. To make a long story short. The award of the design of Fletcher Hall was an open competition amongst Architectural firms in an attempt to get more competition. The winning design was selected as the building you see today. They used many different types of construction techniques and processes in an attempt to illustrate to the students what can be done in a building. It is in essence, a laboratory for the Architecture students. Unfortunately, during the course of construction, the budget got busted. The central courtyard was to have a sky light and be an indoor space. Because of the cost over run, they left the skylight out of the project. Soooo all the doors and stairs in the central courtyard that were supposed to be inside are now outside. Anybody want to guess how long an interior door will last in an exterior environment? The result is, the building is a maintenance nightmare in addition to not blending in with the remaining buildings on campus. The building is a great example for the students as to how NOT to do a project. You might also note that there is no plaque on the building to Identify the architect, contractor or any of the responsible parties involved in the design and construction of the building. In short, the building is just wrong on many levels. If anybody else has anything to add or correct please do so because all of what I posted is from memory.

Explains everything.. that building is a nightmare quite depressing and no wifi..

[awadelewis]

This is what I understand happened with Fletcher Hall. .

Yep, that's pretty much what I was told as well.

I've heard that the administration has fixing Fletcher on their priority list but it'll be a few years while they try to get the funding. Getting the money is harder with academic buildings because they don't have the public/private option like with the new dorms or student fee revenue like what's helping fund the Student Union project.

[HelmutVII]

The asbestos removal is completed on the Rose Garden Dorms. Waiting on clearance on Monday to proceed with demolition on Wednesday. Found much more asbestos then originally anticipated resulting in longer time and more money. Two feet of contaminated soil had to be removed from under Old Baker, Old Huger and Bonin. It should not take too long to demolish the buildings. Debris removal will be the limiting factor.

Football players and soccer players moved into new Baker on August 3. Only a few minor things left to do on New Baker. Parking garage is set to be used for parking on August 11. Credit Union will be ready in late September. New Huger is on schedule to be finished before Thanksgiving.

New Baker August 7, 2011 with sod rolls waiting to be installed on Band field



Ground level view of sod installation with New Baker in the background. The photo shows the turtleback on the field. There should be no water standing on the field. The grass is a drought tolerant hybrid Bermuda that is resistant to herbicides. Supposedly very easy to maintain.



Sod rolls waiting to be laid out. A bobcat skid steer loader picks up the roll and lays the entire roll down in less then a minute.



New Huger hall as seen from the corner of Tulane and Taft.



New sidewalk between Parking Garage and Angelle Hall.




New sidewalk between Parking garage on right and Hamilton Hall on left. The garage is about as wide as it could be with very little room between Hamilton and Angelle. The garage is not sprinkled and lets hope a car does not catch fire in the garage.



I will wait to do the monthly comparison next week because both the parking garage and New Baker will be occupied by then. Eight months to complete a new Dorm and in their spare time they built a 1000 car parking garage, demoed two 7 story dorms and started building another dorm. Not too shabby.

[Big Buds]

Eight months to complete a new Dorm and in their spare time they built a 1000 car parking garage, demoed two 7 story dorms and started building another dorm. Not too shabby.

UNBELIEVABLE!

[ULGrad@HOU]

As usual, a great update! Thanks.

[Cajun_Jim]

If only the softball renovation could have gone this fast

[HoustonCajun]

If only the softball renovation could have gone this fast

Are they finished yet?

[HelmutVII]

Looks like asbestos removal is continuing on Bonin Hall as they still have some areas under positive air pressure.

This is a view of the finished Baker Hall. This is the last photo I will take from this viewpoint.



View of the North facade of New Baker Hall with New Huger to the rear of the photo. Parking garage is behind me.



View of New Huger from the side of New Baker. The guys on the roof are placing roof shingles on this part of new Huger.



Rear of New Huger Hall. New Baker is to the right.



Rear entrance area of New Huger Hall.



Rear entrance area of New Baker Hall. (the same place on New Huger as shown on photo above)



Parking garage as seen from the north side of New Baker hall. Hamilton Hall is to the right.



Parking garage as seen from band practice field. They are painting the bare concrete. The brick on the garage appears to be a brick product not stained concrete. I cant tell if it's a full brick or an applique. They did do a very good job of application though. The painters are caulking the joints and cleaning the brick as they go.



McKinley street facade of Parking garage. They were supposed to open for parking on Thursday but they did not make it. It does not appear to be that big of a problem now but I would suspect that it will be a problem pretty soon.



Hamilton Hall, (my old elementary school) as seen from the walkway between the parking garage and New Baker Hall.

[Turbine]

The parking garage has a very clean look to it.

Can you tell if the inset bricks in the side walk will be a new campus theme, or some kind of visual spin off from the Walk of Honor?

[LuLu]

Every time I log on here, I look forward to seeing the pictures of the campus construction. Thank you so much for posting them. They are impressive! I am so proud of how our campus looks or rather, will look. Please continue to post your pictures.

[HelmutVII]

The parking garage has a very clean look to it.

Can you tell if the inset bricks in the side walk will be a new campus theme, or some kind of visual spin off from the Walk of Honor?

Don't know about the bricks in the sidewalk except that the side walk that was there before was a concrete that was stamped and stained to look like brick. Anyhow, the new sidewalk looks nice, although I'm wondering if it will be slippery when the sidewalk gets cruddy. There won't be much sun on it between Hamilton and the garage or between Angelle and the garage so it could get mold and mildew on it.

[HelmutVII]

Every time I log on here, I look forward to seeing the pictures of the campus construction. Thank you so much for posting them. They are impressive! I am so proud of how our campus looks or rather, will look. Please continue to post your pictures.

There is still plenty of work to be done on campus to take photos of. I just won't be taking many photos of New Baker Hall because it's finished.

[HelmutVII]

Since Baker Hall is finished this will be the final before and after of Baker Hall.

January 2, 2011



August 13, 2011, Finis.



The only thing they have left to do is to install lights along the sidewalk along the front and side of the building.