From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject:  Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #15
Posted: April 22, 2006

The preparations for the return of the Schools of Medicine, Allied Health and Nursing and the reopening of Stanislaus Hall and the Residence Hall continue. We remain cautiously optimistic that these goals will be accomplished as contractors strive to complete their work and new contracts are issued for critical repairs.

The Office of Facility Planning & Control is continuing to work closely with us to "carve out" and expedite some key permanent repairs to portions of the MEB needed to support the return of the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Allied Health before the incoming classes begin. The architects have recently completed plans and specifications for a project to restore the two large lecture halls, the morgue, the Gross Anatomy Labs, and the Multidisciplinary Labs and Facility Planning has approved the use of an expedited process to solicit pricing. Completion of work under this contract is currently projected for about July 1.

The environmental remediation in the Nursing/Allied Health Building is progressing on schedule and the work is substantially complete throughout the building. Repairs to building elevators continue and are projected to be completed within the next few weeks. Repairs to the build’s fire alarm system are 95% complete and should be finished shortly. We are cautiously optimistic that the building will reopen in late April as planned.

Stanislaus Hall is also targeted to reopen in late April. The environmental remediation is substantially completed throughout the building. The repairs to the building elevators are complete and the inspection of the State elevator inspector has just certified them for general use. The majority of the build’s pumps are operational; the city water pumps have recently been installed and the sump pumps are being connected to building power.

We are continuing to receive shipments of new fitness equipment for the Wellness Center. The majority of the equipment should be delivered and installed within the next few weeks. The software for operating the Center has been installed and is being configured. Supplies necessary for the operation of the Center are being ordered. Cleaning of the spaces (floors, bathrooms, etc.) to prepare the Center for use is underway. We continue to plan to have this new facility available to faculty, staff and students this summer.

Due to the need to replace a large portion of the floor tiles in the building, the environmental remediation in the Residence Hall is a more time consuming process. The old tile has been removed and the new tile is being installed. The other remediation work in the building is substantially complete. Elevator repairs continue in the building. Repairs to the "A" and "C" Towers elevators are substantially complete and the contractor is now focusing on the "B" Tower. Final inspections will occur when the repairs on all towers have been finished. The repairs to the fire alarm system are substantially complete. New refrigerators for the rooms have been ordered and deliveries will begin shortly. The target for reopening the building remains mid-May.

The work in the Resource Center has progressed well and plans are to be able to reoccupy the upper floors in early June. Two elevators are already certified for use and the remaining repairs are underway. The environmental remediation is largely completed throughout the building. Work on the fire alarm system is under contract and work has begun on preliminary tasks while parts are being delivered. The domestic water pumps have been delivered and installation will be completed shortly. We’ve also taken this opportunity (while the Ische Library collection has been removed for cleaning) to replace the 20 year old carpet on all three floors. The 4^th floor has been completed and the carpet is being removed and replaced on the 3^rd floor at this time.

Many of the parking lot controls; gates, card readers, etc. were damaged during the storm. In anticipation of the return of larger numbers of faculty, staff and students, contracts have been issued to complete the needed repairs. This will allow us to secure and control the lots as we had in the past. Work will begin on the larger, closer in lots to insure the availability of safe and convenient parking.

While the various lots have been closed, we have also taken this opportunity to make improvements to the Residence Hall parking lot and to the Student Lots 2 & 3 before we open them up for use again. Resurfacing of the Residence Hall lot is well underway. New limestone and concrete "bumpers" will be installed in Lots 2 & 3. The need for additional lighting in the parking lots is also being evaluated.

The architect/engineering firm responsible for the Dental School campus completed their 2^nd set of specifications for additional, temporary repairs to key building systems and bids have been received. The contract for this second set of temporary repairs to the buildings’ mechanical systems has been awarded and work should begin within a few days.

Here are highlights of work that has been accomplished since our last update was posted on Tuesday, April 11^th.

• The work on the 2nd contract for environmental remediation contract addressing the Nursing/Allied Health Building, the Residence Hall, Stanislaus Hall and the Resource Center has been underway since mid-March. Progress reports on each building follows:
  • Residence Hall: Installation of the replacement floor tiles is proceeding. The remaining cleaning/remediation required in other parts of the building is substantially complete.
  • Stanislaus Hall: All of the cleaning has been completed on every floor above the basement. Cleaning of the stairwells and mechanical rooms is substantially complete. Work continues in the basement spaces and is anticipated to be completed shortly.
  • Nursing/Allied Health: The cleaning has been completed from the top floor down to the 1^st floor. The work required in this building is substantially completed, except for cleaning required in the room housing the fire alarm controls. It will be cleaned when the fire alarm contractor is out of that space.
  • Resource Center: All of the upper floors (2^nd through 8^th) have been cleaned. Work on removal of sheet rock, etc. on the 1^st floor is almost finished. Work throughout the building is approaching substantial completion rapidly.
• The accelerated pace of repairs to building elevators continue. Inspections by the State Elevator Inspector have been requested or will be requested shortly for the passenger elevators at the MEB, the Lion’s/LSU Clinic Building and Stanislaus Hall.
  • All of the Stanislaus Hall elevators have been certified for general use.
  • All five of the elevators in the Lion’s/LSU Clinic Building have passed inspection and are now certified for general use.
  • The installation of new emergency telephones in the MEB elevators is underway. As the phones are installed and tested, another inspection will be scheduled and certification of the elevators will be requested.
  • The contractor has completed repairs to the "A" and "C" Tower elevators in the Residence Hall, except for the buffers. The contractor is focused on completing the "B" Tower elevator and will be working over the weekend.
  • Walk To Wellness & Gravier St. Garage: Work has begun on repairs to the elevators serving both structures. The change out of damaged elevator pit devices in the Walk to Wellness and the Gravier Street Garage elevators began on Monday, April 17^th.
  • The contractor will be replacing the 1^st floor elevator doors on all of the elevators in the Resource Center. The hoist cable on elevator #3 is undersized and was cited by the State Elevator Inspector prior to the current contactor receiving the annual maintenance contract. The former contractor is paying for the replacement cable and the current contractor will install it. The replacement cable is in the contractor’s shop.
• School of Dentistry restoration: Regular weekly meetings with representatives from the architectural/engineering firms, the Office of Facility Planning & Control, FEMA and LSUHSC continue.
  • The 1^st of the bid packages for temporary repairs to building electrical systems and for temporary air conditioning at the Dental School has been awarded and work has recently begun.
    • The temporary chiller and generators are on line at the Dental School Clinic and Administration buildings and the buildings are being cooled. The electrical contractor is working on a temporary electrical power feed.
  • The 2^nd of the bid packages for temporary repairs to the buildings’ critical mechanical systems has been developed and the solicitation of bids has been completed. The bids have been evaluated by both the architect and LSUHSC and the Office of Facility Planning & Control has approved the award. The contractor is currently securing their bonds and insurance and we anticipate that work will begin soon.
• Downtown campus restoration: Regular weekly meetings with representatives from the architectural/engineering firms, the Office of Facility Planning & Control, FEMA and LSUHSC have continued and will remain as a scheduled item for some time.
  • The 2^nd environmental remediation contact has been awarded and much of the work has been completed.
  • The 3^rd environmental remediation contact has now been awarded and will address the remaining buildings and structures on the downtown campus. Work should begin shortly as crews completing the 2^nd contract are being freed up.
  • The architects are working on a series of smaller projects that have been "carved out" of the larger permanent repair work to facilitate the return of the Medical School classes to campus.
    • Permanent repairs to building windows are out on bid and are due by the end of April.
    • The replacements for the flood damaged MEB Lecture Rooms seating have been ordered.
    • The contracts for repairs to the parking lot control systems have been awarded.
    • A bid package is being finalized for the permanent repairs to the MEB Lecture Rooms, the Gross Anatomy Lab, the Morgue, and the Multidisciplinary Labs. The Office of Facility Planning and Control has approved an expedited process for securing competitive pricing so that the award can be completed quickly.
• Contracts have been awarded for the repairs to various types of pumps to supply water and heat to the Residence Hall, Stanislaus Hall, the MEB, CSRB, Lion’s Eye Center, Nursing/Allied Health Building, and Resource Center. The following is the status of progress in each building:
  • Stanislaus Hall:
    • All the sump pumps have been installed and have been connected to building power. The sump pits are being cleaned, so the pumps can be started.
    • City water pumps have been delivered and have been installed. However, the electronic disconnect needs to be replaced. LSUHSC Property & Facilities staff is handling this.
  • CSRB:
    • Domestic hot and cold water pumps have been installed and are operating.
    • The heating hot water pumps have been installed and will be tested shortly.
  • MEB:
    • The 3 boiler feed water pumps have been installed and are now operating.
    • The two chemical feed water pumps have been installed and are operating.
    • The brine pumps in the MEB have been installed and are operating.
    • The heating hot water pumps have been installed and successfully tested.
    • We are still waiting on receipt of the rebuilt condensate return pumps.
    • The domestic hot water return pump has been removed for testing/evaluation.
  • Nursing/Allied Health:
    • The hot water recirculating pumps have been installed.
    • The domestic hot water pumps in the Nursing/Allied Health Building are being installed.
    • We are waiting on the delivery of the city water pumps for this building.
  • Lion’s/LSU Clinic:
    • The hot water recirculating pumps have been installed.
  • Resource Center:
    • Two hot water recirculating pumps have been installed, but the electrical connections must still be made
• Contracts to repair the fire alarm systems and their components in downtown campus buildings have been awarded to the vendors who currently provide annual maintenance to the systems. This approach will insure that the systems can be re-certified and remain under the existing maintenance contract. Several of the systems have been repaired and inspected and work continues in the remaining buildings.
  • Stanislaus Hall, CSRB, Lion’s/LSU Clinic Building and the MEB: Completed and inspected.
  • Nursing/Allied Health: Approximately 95% of the repair work has been completed. Some minor equipment/parts needed to complete work remain on backorder.
  • Residence Hall: The repairs have been substantially completed and a punch list has been developed. When the punch list is complete, the State Fire Marshal will be asked to inspect the building.
  • Resource Center: The contractor is completing the preliminary work required while waiting for the remainder of the parts to arrive.
• The contract for the repairs to the emergency generators at the CSRB, MEB, Lion’s Eye Center, Nursing/Allied Health Bldg., Resource Center and the Residence Hall has been awarded. Work has begun on several of the generators, and parts are on order.
  • The repairs have been completed on the roof mounted generator at the MEB. This provides emergency power to the majority of the researcher’s freezers and walk in coolers in that building.
  • All of the damaged stators have been removed and sent to be rebuilt.
  • The contractor has inspected all of the automatic transfer switches (ATS) in each of the buildings to determine what repairs are needed.
    • The Nursing/Allied Health Building will require a shutdown of electrical power to the building to work on ATS. This will be scheduled.
  • CSRB: The repair work is complete on the generator. Diesel fuel is needed and LSUHSC has placed the order.
  • Lion’s/LSU Clinic: Most of the repairs have been completed, however a panel needed for the repairs has not yet arrived. Diesel fuel is also needed here and will be ordered.
  • The MEB, the Residence Hall, the Nursing/Allied Health Building and the Resource Center are waiting on repairs to be completed to the stators of their respective generators. As the repaired stators are delivered, they will be installed.
• A contract has been issued for repairs to the medical air compressors, vacuum pumps and water purifiers at the CSRB, Lion’s Eye Center and the MEB. Parts are on order and repairs will begin as soon as the parts begin to arrive.
• Work under a contract to clean, decontaminate and re-certify the biosafety cabinets in research labs began on March 15^th. There are 100 cabinets covered under the contract and work is underway. The Purchasing Department is contacting the departments and coordinating this work as specific cabinets are identified.
• After experiencing 2 short term power outages in the CSRB, the switch gear manufacturer’s representative is coming out to perform further tests of the switchgear to determine the need for additional temporary repairs. Additional work needed will be defined and submitted to FEMA, the Office of Facility Planning & Control and ORM.
• Processing of the building content losses submitted to FEMA is in progress. As additional data on losses is gathered and verified, more claims will be submitted.
  • FEMA has recently eased the burden of documenting the portion of claims related to supplies/consumables. They will allow us to certify that the items listed were owned by LSUHSC at the time of the storm, and will separately determine the "reasonableness" of the replacement cost estimates.
  • Capitalized assets will still require validating documentation for a 20% sample of the items claimed.
• The replacement of 20 year old carpeting in the Resource Center is proceeding. The installation of carpeting is complete on the 4^th floor and the installation of the new carpet on the 3^rd well underway. The remainder of the new carpet should be delivered next week. The scaffold needed to do the carpet replacement on the Library stairs has been delivered.

We hope that you continue to find this information helpful. Don’t forget that Daily Updates are also posted on the web site so that you can follow the recovery progress more closely.