09/12/02: Construction Update #4
Colleagues,
Introduction
The Fire Lane Project remains on schedule, despite the monsoon's effort to derail activities. Lynn Newman, our campus meteorologist, tells me the GCC Weather Station recorded over 1.79 inches of rainfall, 1.76 inches which fell on Friday and Saturday. The campus also experienced a 35 mph wind gust around the time of the microburst which struck at 47th and Glendale Avenues. On the plus side, the campus suffered little damage, we needed the rain and the monsoon made it much easier to wean students from parking on the grass in the southeast corner of the campus.
Red and Blue and Orange
The construction map color coding remains the same as last week. Red will indicate next week's work (Sep 14-20) and orange the following week's (Sep 21-27). Blue depicts completed work. As you receive this message, construction around the 01, 02, and 05 Bldgs. will move into the second phase. Many thanks to the secretaries and Chairs of the affected departments for insuring your faculty were informed early last week, and a special Fosbury salute to those secretaries who locked doors and posted signs on "work in progress" sides of the 01 and 02 buildings to keep us all inside (and outside of the work area). Construction activities now shift to the opposite sides of the 01 and 02 Bldgs. and to the short extensions connecting the east west oriented sidewalks to the B and LA Bldgs. We then move to the fire lanes on the malls. The link below connects this message to the campus construction map. Click on now for a quick look.http://www.gc.maricopa.edu/index/campus.cfm?see=Construction
Construction Highlights - September 14 - 20
- The contractor has completed work on the sidewalks running between the 01 and 02 Bldgs. and the sidewalk running from the SW corner of the 01 Bldg. to the intersection with the sidewalk on the east side of the 02 Bldg, and the section of sidewalk from the NW corner of the 01 Bldg. to the NW corner of the 02 Bldg.
- Sidewalk work around the 01 and 02 Bldgs. will continue. The contractor will replace the sidewalk on the west side of the 01 Bldg., the sidewalk on the east side of the 02 Bldg., and the short sidewalk extensions that connect sidewalks on the north and south sides of the 01 and 02 Bldgs, with the B and LA Bldgs. respectively.
- The small picnic pads between the 01 and 02 Bldgs. and the 02 and LA Bldgs. remain out of service. Concrete pouring will occur in two weeks, concurrent with the pouring of other areas.
- Sod removal and irrigation installation continues along the north south mall from the Life Science Bldg. (LS) south to the center of campus. Sidewalk access is not affected at this time.
- Electrical work (light poles) and irrigation replacement activities continue along the edges of the north south and east west malls. Access or sidewalk use is not affected.
- The East Side renovation of the SPS Bldg. began on September 9th. The project is scheduled for completion on February 6th. The contractor has erected fencing around the entire building. Please remain out of of this building unless escorted.
Construction Highlights - September 21 - 27
- Construction will commence on the north south running mall lanes. The contractor will begin at the north end of the campus, near the Physical Sciences (PS) Bldg. and proceed south as far as the Life Science (LS) Bldg. Both concrete and Grasspave (see discussion below) work will be done simultaneously.
(Like a syllabus, this schedule is tentative and activities may conclude early)
Grasscrete, GRASS-CEL, Grasspave or Grassroad Paver
Some of you have asked several questions about the actual lanes being constructed as part of the Fire Lanes Project. Is the College going to widen the mall walks by adding more concrete? And, what exactly is grasscrete, grasspave and GRASS-CEL? The answer to the first question is no. GCC will not add more concrete, thus increasing the urban heat island effect. What will be installed to widen the mall walks (or lanes), and support heavy emergency vehicles, is a product called Grasspave 2. All of these producgts are similar, but the GCC project will employ Grasspave 2. Grasspave, is a system of hexagonal, interlocking plastic cells. When locked together, the structure provides a continuous grid that stabilizes soil and plants, transfers weight from the surface to the subsurface (up to 70,000 lbs. per sf), promotes water percolation, improves transpiration (cooling) and is aesthetically pleasing. Grass grows in and through the cells and within a year, the green cells are covered by green grass and the area is barely discernable from normal turf. As I mentioned in an earlier update, a picture is worth 1000 words. The material that actually will be used for the GCC campus is Invisible Strucutre's Inc. Grasspave2 System, whose website is:http://www.invisiblestructures.com/GP2/grasspave.htm
The strong plastic cells and earth provide the required support for fire department loads, from both the truck wheel loads and the spreader supports from the ladder trucks. Think of standing on an egg carton (it's the same sort of strength and theory), only the plastic here won't disintegrate. For anyone who wants to see an example of this product in person, they can visit the American Graduate School of International Management (AGSIM - 59th and Thunderbird Avenues), or view the AGSIM project on line. The AGSIM project used Grassroad Paver, a similar product and application to the one being used at GCC:
http://www.grassroad.com/Projects/Project10.htm
100 Day Alert- Center for Learning (CL Bldg.) Renovation Plans
As soon as finals are over, work will begin on the classrooms and offices in the CL Bldg. The project will commence no later than December 23rd (earlier if possible) and will include an HVAC overhaul for the entire building and new tile flooring, paint and acoustical ceiling tiles for classrooms 10-15. Though the building is expected be available for occupancy January 26, 2003; there still may be some additional work beyond this date. Even with great planning, this is a tight timeline. At the September 9th pre bid conference, potential bidders were reminded of the need to meet this ambitious schedule, advised to become thoroughly familiar with the building now, to plan for large crews and access to the building 24/7 during the time between classes. We will work with the contractor to make this project as user friendly as possible, and keep you informed and involved.In the weeks ahead, we will be communicating with CL occupants and users: (Center for Learning, ACE+, AzTEC, Social Science, English, Network Services and Media) to identify furniture and equipment to be moved and stored, or covered and protected. We will ask Randy Kimmens and Department Chairs to pay special attention to the 49% faculty who are presently not on campus, but may want to move in before Spring semester commences. We will provide computer and other accommodations elsewhere on the campus. Again, the timeline is tight. The contractor must meet the schedule and we must not impede the contractor.
Lastly, now is a good time for departments to inventory maps and boards installed in CL 10-15. Some maps are ancient and dilapidated and may no longer be needed, and departments may decide it's time for white boards. If you let us know your requirements early, we may be able to integrate preparations for these other areas into the overall renovation. Please plan now and add these requirements to your department budgets. NOTE: The College has no new maps or excess white boards laying around. Preparations means we could remove the old, patch holes, reposition some items; in other words prepare these six classrooms for what would arrive later.
Secretaries Meeting
I mentioned earlier that GCC will initiate a program to help the College maintain its many common use facilities. A key link in this program will be the Department Chairs and secretaries in our academic departments. This does not mean that the rest of you are off the hook, rather that the College will ask these individuals to serve as primary conduits for information on classrooms and common use facilities that each department currently manages. Our first meeting is scheduled for 1:00-2:00 p.m., Thursday, September 19th in the Council Chambers. An invitation and agenda will follow by separate message.
Thanks and Old Updates
Again, thank you for taking the time to remain up to date on the College's construction projects and maintenance procedures. Your patience while we improve GCC is appreciated. If you missed Update #1, #2 or #3, please email me and I will provide a copy. You may also access this information on the College's website under Info for Employees - Construction Updates, where each update is archived.
Charles F. Jeffery
Construction Liaison
