Summer construction projects underway

A number of summer construction projects have begun across campus and others will be underway soon.

Kathy Jones and Russell Price gave an overview of those projects at the May 7 Administrators Forum. Jones is assistant vice president for project management and engineering; Price is assistant vice president of facilities. Below are some of the construction and renovation projects they mentioned.

* Construction of the D. Kent and Linda C. Anderson and Robert L. and Jean T. Clarke Center will continue; crews are now working on the third floor. This new three-story building near Entrance 8 will be the new home of Rice’s Susanne M. Glasscock School of Continuing Studies and is scheduled for completion by March 2014.

* Construction of the George R. Brown Tennis Complex near entrances 17 and 18 in West Lot 3 along Rice Boulevard is expected to start in August. The existing recreational tennis courts and Jake Hess Stadium will be demolished.

* Expansion of the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen to the basement is planned for June 12-Aug. 16.

* An accessibility project at Allen Center will remove the step at the main entrance and replace the sidewalk between the building and Loop Road. The project is scheduled for Aug. 1-15.

* Benches inside the bus shelters in West Lots 1, 2 and 3 will be relocated on the back side of the shelters to make the interior fully accessible by people in wheelchairs. This work will be done during September.

* The ramp and railings by the south entrance to Sewall Hall will be replaced to improve accessibility. A new accessibility ramp will also be installed at the northeast corner of Dell Butcher Hall. Both projects are scheduled for August.

* Roof repairs are planned for Sewall Hall (May 23-Aug. 12), Lovett College (July 1-15) and Lovett Hall above the Sallyport (July 1-Aug. 1).

* Construction or renovation of lab space will take place in the basement and on the third floor of Brockman Hall for Physics, the first floor of George R. Brown Hall and the third and fourth floors of the BioScience Research Collaborative during the summer.

* Renovation of Holloway Field, where soccer is played, will include the existing subgrade, irrigation system and turf. The project has begun and should be finished by July 31.

* Improvements to Rice Stadium will include egress lighting for better visibility, repair of electrical switchgear at the north end zone and better air conditioning in the football office. These projects will take place over the summer.

* Sidewalk and crosswalk enhancements will be made at the periphery of campus along Main Street at Entrance 3 and at the intersections of University Boulevard and Dryden Street. This work is in progress and should be finished by Oct. 23.

* The two-pipe cooling and heating system in Hanszen College will be converted to a four-pipe system, and the fan coil units will be replaced in the new Hanszen section during the summer.

* A 12-hour power outage at the Mudd Computer Science Building is tentatively scheduled for June 1 to replace a high-voltage electrical transfer switch. Phones should remain functional during the outage.

* At the Barbara and David Gibbs Recreation and Wellness Center, a new gutter and downspouts will be installed next to the center pool July 1-Aug. 20.

* Acoustical repairs to the walls and ceiling of the Hirsch Rehearsal Hall in Alice Pratt Brown Hall will take place over the summer.

* In Rayzor Hall, several offices on the second floor will be renovated into a lecture room during June.

* Carpet will be replaced on the second and third floors of Duncan Hall. The project began last week and will continue through Aug. 15.

For updates on these projects, visit http://construction.rice.edu.