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From: Ronnie
Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #33
Posted: January 5, 2007
Progress on the various projects
that have been underway was impacted to some extent
by the Christmas and New Years holidays. However,
although the institution was officially closed for
the entire week, most of the contractors were on
site immediately after Christmas and LSUHSC
Facilities personnel were on hand to insure that
work could continue until the New Years holiday
arrived.
Work on the elevators at 1542 Tulane
Ave. has continued during the past two weeks.
Several change orders are being developed by the
architect/engineering team and priced by the
contractor. These relate to the next series of
repairs that are needed to restore the upper floors
of the building. New, permanent sump pumps have been
installed in the basement which helps to insure that
we are protected from the intrusion of ground water.
The Dental School contractors are
working to complete the various punch list items
that have been identified by the architects on the
original work. The elevator contractor has increased
the number of staff working on the repairs to
building elevators and progress continues as parts
are delivered. The environmental consultant that
works for LSUHSC is preparing the remediation
specifications for the Clinic building and we expect
to get a bid on the street in the near future. The
inspection and assessment of the existing boilers to
determine and document the storm-related damage and
identify the needed repairs is still underway. We
anticipate receiving that report in the near future
and specifications for needed repairs will be
quickly developed. Scope alignment activities by the
architect/engineering team and FEMA are also
continuing.
Here are highlights of work that has
been accomplished since our last update was posted
two weeks ago.
Project to Make Temporary Repairs to
1542 Tulane Ave.:
- The contractor completed the installation of
the starters for the replacement basement sump
pumps at 1542 Tulane Ave.
- The contractor has finished connecting the
starter disconnects and the electrical feeds on
the 1st floor for the basement sump pumps.
- The elevator contractor is working on the #3
Elevator at 1542 Tulane Ave. The foreman
estimates that it should take approximately a
week to get the elevator running (but not
certified).
- The #1 Elevator is running but it does
not yet have a cage.
- The elevator contractor is working in
the penthouse replacing switches and other
damaged parts.
- Additional work authorized by recent change
orders is awaiting the delivery of needed
materials. Additional change orders are being
priced out and evaluated for FEMA eligibility.
- The panel box for the sump pumps installed
in the basement at 1542 Tulane Ave. has been
set. The contractor is in the process of running
conduit and wires for the new lights,
receptacles, fire pump control panel and the
jockey pump. They are also removing old pipe
and wires as they install the new equipment.
- LSU personnel drained the condensate out
of the steam lines in preparation for Arc
Mechanical to begin testing the steam piping
for leaks on Monday, once the steam service
has been restored. Once the tests have been
completed, the contractor will begin
insulating the steam pipes.
Project to Make Temporary Repairs to
the Dental School:
- The elevator contractor has been working on
the building elevators.
- The freight elevator gate operators and
linkage has been installed.
- The contractor is installing the new
panels that control the operation of the
freight elevator doors.
- The replacement basement elevator doors
should be installed by the end of this week.
- The mechanical sub-contractor installed two
more nitrous oxide bottles on the loading dock.
This makes a total of 8 nitrous oxide bottles
installed.
- The architects and a testing company have
inspected the pipes running through the tunnel
from the Power Plant to the Dental School
basement during this week. They took water
samples from the tunnel and the sump area of the
Power Plant to test for the presence of
chlorides.
- The inspection of the boilers by the
manufacturer to determine what damage was done
by the storm has been completed. They are
preparing their written report and photographic
evidence of the damage that they found.
- The FEMA assessment team also examined
the boilers as the manufacturer concluded
their assessment.
- The mechanical sub-contractor
is working on all of the exhaust fans in the
Clinic and Administration Buildings to make sure
they are operating properly.
- Work on the various punch list items is
underway at the Dental School.
- New strainers are being installed in the
floor drains of the basement.
- The platform that was installed in the
Power Plant is being painted.
- The mason is patching the cavities in
the basement.
- All of the old sinks, toilets, and
plumbing fixtures have been removed on the
1st floor and in the basement.
- Siemens has run the communications line used
by the Energy Management System from the Power
Plant to the basement.
Electrical Repairs to Parking Lots
- The contractor responsible for making the
final electrical repairs at various parking lots
around campus began mobilizing crews and
inspecting the work sites. Work on the initial
sites has begun.
- At Parking Lot #1, the contractor is
working on building a rack four feet above
the trough to house the power feeds that run
from the electrical panel to the gate.
MEB Atrium Renovation:
- The atrium on the 3rd floor of
the MEB is undergoing an exciting renovation.
Within a few weeks, we hope to produce a
welcoming and comfortable multi-function space
where students can gather to study, socialize,
and eat. The atrium will be divided into 2 main
areas. At the entry will be a spacious lounge
area with contemporary sectional sofas, plush
club chairs, and occasional tables. Beyond the
lounge will be an updated eating area with ample
seating at café-style tables. The space will
also offer wireless technology, un-tethering
laptops from the perimeter of the room.
- The installation of the new ceiling grid
and new lighting fixtures in the 3rd
floor corridors of the MEB is largely
complete.
- LSUHSC Facilities staff members have
completed the installation of new HVAC
ducting in the atrium ceiling.
- The contractor has finished the initial
layout of the ceiling supports for the new
ceiling grid, and they have begun the
installation of the wall mounted track
around the perimeter of the space.
- The majority of the new ceiling framing
in the atrium has been completed.
- The ceiling framing for the fur-downs is
complete.
- The contractor began hanging sheet rock
at the fur-downs along the exterior windows.
- The walls at the ramps to the atrium
from the MEB have been over laid with
sheetrock. The sheet rock must still be
finished and prepped for painting.
- LSU personnel finished demolishing the
sheet rock and wall covering along the
Allied Health side of the atrium.
- New conduit was run for electrical power
on the columns in what will be the new
seating areas. The contractor also continued
to raise conduit and fixtures in the ceiling
that will interfere with the height of the
new ceiling.
- In the 3rd floor corridors,
the ceiling framing is complete. The
contractor continues the installation of the
ceiling tile and is about 80% complete. Most
of the new light fixtures have also been
installed.
- The sprinkler contractor will have to
move several sprinklers to allow for the
placement of the lights that have not been
installed. This is being coordinated with
the contractor and will happen shortly.
Miscellaneous Items:
- The de-ionized water system at the Clinical
Sciences Research Building has been disinfected
and the system can now be used as it was
intended.
We encourage you to follow the
details of our progress through the daily updates
which are posted on the web site.
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