From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #67
Posted: April 25, 2008

With much of the temporary repair work completed or nearing completion around campus, our focus has shifted to the more complex and time consuming process of designing the permanent repairs and related Section 406 Hazard Mitigation for our major buildings. There are two fundamental parts to the process as we seek FEMA approval.

We begin by working with our architects and engineering teams to develop relatively high level design concepts for each building. The conceptual documents set forth all of the significant elements of the proposed 406 mitigation work, provide some basic drawings and include the initial cost estimates for the specific concept. These are reviewed by LSUHSC and the Office of Facility Planning and Control. They are then forwarded to the 406 Mitigation Team within the Governors Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP). GOHSEP reviews each proposal and completes a preliminary Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) to insure that the proposal appears to be cost beneficial. GOHSEP then forwards the design concepts to the FEMA Health & Research Team for their consideration and preliminary approval. FEMA will consider the proposal for eligibility of the work as proposed, the technical feasibility of the mitigation concept, and the cost effectiveness (based on the BCA).

The following are brief summaries of the design concepts that have been submitted to FEMA and are pending their preliminary approval:

• Dental School Clinic, Administration & Power Plant:
  • This proposal combines the permanent repairs of all three major buildings; the Clinic Building, the Administration Building and the Power Plant. The mitigation concept focuses on elevating all of the critical functions and mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment into a new Clinic Building Annex, and elevating other critical equipment within the Power Plant. Additional emergency generation capacity and extended fuel supplies for the generator(s) will be provided, and a small Emergency Operations Center will be provided.
• 1542 Tulane Ave.:
  • All of the building system components that were originally located in the basement will be elevated into an addition built over the Lakeside Parking Lot. Additional fuel capacity for the emergency generator(s) will be provided.
• Central Utility Plant:
  • The critical pumps and related electrical systems that supply the majority of the downtown buildings with chilled water for air conditioning and steam for heat will be elevated to the platform that currently carries two cooling towers. The cooling towers will be removed to make the necessary space available and a single smaller cooling tower will be installed to provide a limited supply of chilled water, should the Entergy Thermal system fail or go down.
• Roman St. Garage:
  • In addition to completing the eligible permanent repairs, the equipment that runs the two passenger elevators will be elevated from the ground floor and located on the 3rd Floor.
• District Entergy Garage:
  • The majority of the work will be making the permanent repairs to the structure. Where practical, new materials will be used that resist water damage and that can be easily cleaned should they be flooded in the future.
• Walk To Wellness:
  • The key mitigation proposal is to elevate the pumps that supply water to the overhead fire sprinklers and their related systems above the flood level.

When FEMA gives their preliminary approval of a design concept, the architects and engineers will produce the Design/Development submittal (D/D). This is a much more complete set of drawings and specifications, but not as complete as the Construction Documents that will be sed to bid and build the project. Similar to the design concepts, the DD submittal is reviewed by LSUHSC, FP&C, and GOHSEP. They are then forwarded to FEMA for their formal review and approval. This submission will result in the preparation of a formal Hazard Mitigation Proposal and version(s) to the related Project Worksheets. When approved, the State will have funds set aside by FEMA to cover the estimated cost for the project.

The following are the Design/Development submittals that have been forwarded to FEMA and are under review, but not yet approved:

• CSRB/MEB:
  • This proposal addresses the permanent repairs in both buildings. The key mitigation measure is the construction of an addition that will begin on the 3^rd Floor and extent to the existing roof level on the back of the CSRB. This addition will allow for the vivariums previously located on the 1st Floors of both buildings to be elevated above the flood of record. The addition will also house and elevate critical mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment that was damaged on the 1st Floor of the CSRB. Critical MEP at the Medical Education Building will be elevated within that structure. The final important element of the proposal is to provide two large (non-life/safety) emergency generators located in the addition that will be able to provide for basic power needs for all of the buildings in the downtown campus area (except for 1542 Tulane and Stanislaus Hall). The emergency power would be sufficient to maintain the critical animal care areas, keep critical research freezers and refrigerators functioning, the morgue cooled, provide power to sustain the critical statewide network components located on the 7th Floor of the Resource Center and to provide for basic interior air conditioning that would protect building contents from high heat and humidity and the buildings themselves from mold. A modest Emergency Operations Center will be included as well.
• Allied Health/Nursing Building:
  • The mitigation measures proposed will elevate all of the critical MEP to the 2nd Floor or above the flood of record in 1st Floor spaces. The restoration of the 1st Floor spaces will take advantage of some wet flood proofing techniques.
    • The Construction Documents will include some non-FEMA work that will assist the School of Nursing in expanding class sizes.
• Student Residence Hall:
  • In this case, space for elevating the critical MEP within the existing structure is very limited, so the proposal includes the construction of a modest elevated single floor addition to house this equipment. It will be located behind the building and will be at the level of the existing basketball court.
• Resource Center:
  • The mitigation measures proposed will elevate all of the critical MEP to the 2nd Floor or above the flood of record in 1st Floor spaces. The restoration of the 1st Floor spaces will take advantage of some wet flood proofing techniques. The life/safety emergency generator will be mounted on the roof to protect it from flood waters.

Whenever a D/D submittal is approved, the design team moves forward with the development of the Construction Documents. These documents are used as part of the bid package and represent the actual construction work that will be included in the resulting contract. To date, only the Lions/LSU Clinic Building has proceeded to the CD phase and is under construction. LSUHSC, the Office of Facility Planning and Control, and GOHSEP continue to work closely with FEMA to move all of the outstanding design concepts and Design/Development submittals forward.

Here are highlights of work that has been accomplished since our last update was posted two weeks ago.

Lions/LSU Clinic Permanent Repairs and Mitigation:

• The crews continue framing up the new interior walls for the 7th Floor laboratory.
  • The rough in electrical and plumbing for the space is proceeding well.
• The layout for the new walls on the 6th Floor is finished and the framing of the new interior walls is well underway.
• Crews have been removing the metal trim and frames from around the exterior windows on the 1st Floor as part of the cleaning and restoration process.
  • The metal frames and window casings are cleaned and the corrosion is removed.
  • The metal surfaces are then painted with a protective, anti-corrosion coating.
  • The window units are cleaned and the entire window assembly is reinstalled.
  • The work around the building is nearing completion.
• The work on the dry flood proofing of the 1st elevator pit continues and appears to be on schedule.

Repair Work at 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• Elevator Repairs:
  • Stratos tested the fire control relays for Elevators #1, #2, and #3 in preparation for final inspection by the State Elevator Inspector.
  • The State Fire Marshal tested Elevators #1, #2, and #3 and the elevators tested successfully in conjunction with the fire alarm/elevator relays.
  • Stratos resumed work on Elevator #7.
    • They have changed out the door hardware.
    • Stratos is changing out the components in the elevator pit.
• Final Remediation and Cleaning:
  • Zimmer-Eschette finished re-cleaning miscellaneous areas throughout the old section of the building.
  • Zimmer has prepared the 1st Floor side entrance and corridor in the old section of the building for remediation/cleaning.
    • Crews have started cleaning the offices along the corridor.
• Painting:
  • The painting contractor finished applying the touch-up paint in the mezzanine offices and other miscellaneous areas around the building.
  • The painting contractor has started preparing the walls in the old portion of the building for paint.
    • They started on the 8th Floor and are working down through the building.
  • The painting contractor prepped and painted the stairwells along the Tulane Ave. side of the building.
  • Stairwell D was prepared and painted.
  • The contractor is currently preparing Stairwell C to be painted.
• Ceiling Tile Replacement:
  • The contractor finished trimming and installing the edge and corner ceiling tiles on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Floors.
• Carpet Installation:
  • The installers finished the installation of carpet tiles, transition strips and cove base on the 4th and 7th Floors.
  • The contractor finished installing the VCT on the 3rd and 4th Floors.
  • The contractor is installing carpet tiles, transition strips and cove base on the 2nd and 3rd Floors.
• Network Upgrades:
  • Boe-Tel pulled the new network fiber cable from the 1st Floor network closet to the 6th Floor closet.
  • Trison Construction taped and floated the new walls of the 4th Floor network closet.
  • Trison primed and painted the new walls for the 4th Floor network closet.
  • Trison installed new electrical rough-in for the 4th Floor network closet.
    • The new electrical outlets have been installed.
  • Trison installed the flooring for the 4th Floor network closet.
• New Furniture:
  • The Herman Miller Group delivered the last of the office chairs for the 1st through the 8th Floors.
  • The Herman Miller Group is assembling and installing furniture in the offices on the 5th Floor.
• Ceiling Light Fixtures:
  • The new ceiling lights have been installed on the 4th Floor.
  • Hogue continues to install the new ceiling lights on the 5th and 6th Floors.

Repair Work at the Dental School:

• Permanent Roof Repairs:
  • Needham Roofing has completed work on the replacement of the Power Plant roof.
    • They removed all of the old roofing material and replaced it with the new two ply roof.
    • The flashing and trim work has also been completed.
  • Needham has loaded additional materials onto the Clinic Building roof and has resumed work on the penthouse roof.
    • They removed a total of 58 squares of roofing material that was damaged from water intrusion and installed new insulation, decking and the granulated cap sheet.
    • They have installed the perimeter flashing.
• Temporary Bookstore:
  • Sherlocks Construction ran new conduit from the feeder location to the electrical panel room in preparation for the installation of a new transformer and circuit panel.

MEB Roof Replacement:

• The contractor completed the remainder of the base smooth modified torch grade material on the parapet wall located on the S. Roman St. side of the building.
  • This is the first of two layers before the installation of the metal cap.
• Crawford continues to install the mineral surface modified cap sheet (final layer) on the main roof of the building.

Downtown Landscaping Project:

• Crews removed the existing vegetation from around the new oak tree on the Perdido St. side of the MEB.
• The final grading on the Perdido St. side of the Residence Hall has been finished in preparation for planting.
• The crews completed the planting and mulching in all ten landscape areas on the Perdido St. side of the Residence Hall.

Exterior Lighting Project:

• Frischhertz finished installing the new electrical wire and light fixtures under Interstate 10 at the Residence Hall parking lot.
• Frischhertz is painting the bases of the new light poles that have been installed at the Residence Hall parking lot.

Parking Lot Improvements:

• Boh Bros removed the existing limestone rock from Interstate-10 Parking Lot #3.
• They have installed concrete forms and poured a new concrete parking surface.
• Boh Bros installed a new culvert in the lot and connected it to the underground draining system to improve the drainage in the lot.
• Crews formed and poured the concrete curb and driving lane for the lot.

We encourage you to follow the details of our progress through the daily updates which are posted on the web site.