From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #71
Posted: June 20, 2008

The contractor responsible for the permanent repairs and hazard mitigation at the Lions/LSU Clinic Building is making steady progress. The walls for the 7th Floor laboratory have been framed, sheet rock has been installed on one side, the rough in electrical and plumbing is nearing completion, and the new gas line has been installed. The framing up of new interior walls on the 6th Floor for the Cohn Learning Center is substantially complete. Significant portions of the new walls have been dry-walled. Rough in electrical, plumbing and HVAC work has progressed well throughout the 6th Floor. Preparations for construction of the new exterior stairwell have begun and the demolition work is advancing.

The first of the projects scheduled for the summer have begun and are progressing on schedule. The demolition in the Resource Center Library is already completed. The layout of the new interior walls has been substantially completed and the crews have framed up many of the new walls. The mechanical sub-contractor has begun to fabricate and install the new HVAC duct work in the spaces that are being renovated.

The majority of the demolition in the MEB 2nd Floor lobby has been finished. The floor tile, ceiling tile and grid, and the old Facility Service office walls have been removed. The temporary construction walls protecting Campus Office Stores and Medical Center Stores have been erected.

The old air handling unit serving the 2nd Floor and mezzanine in the Residence Hall has been removed. The concrete base for the new AHU has been poured, the AHU delivered and set in place and the connections are being made. The old flooring on the 2nd Floor has been removed and temporary ramps are being constructed.

Work in the MEB Lecture Rooms is underway. This project provides for the replacement and enhancement of the Audio/Visual equipment to make it state-of-the-art. Included is a new audio system, connection to the Access Grid, new recording equipment, and an enhanced lectern that allows for easy reconfiguration of A/V to suit presentation needs. The contractor has installed the conduit in the ceilings of Lecture Rooms and the trenches for the new duct work below the floors have been finished.

The new casework for MDL #5 has been ordered. The old casework and flooring is being removed. The terrazzo floors in the MEB cafeteria are being honed.

Work to prepare portions of 1542 Tulane Ave. to be reoccupied continues. Repairs to Elevator #7 are proceeding well. New mini-blinds have been installed in offices on Floors 1 through 6. New furniture continues to be installed. The lounge furniture has been delivered and staged until the lounge spaces are completed. Siemens continues to test the fire alarm system and address any problems that are discovered. The grinding and polishing of the terrazzo on the upper floors of the building is continuing.

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 contractor completed the core drilling of the 6th Floor slab.
• Saw cutting is being done on the ground level slab for new exterior stairwell on the front of the building.
• Dry flood-proofing of the pit for Elevators #2 and #3 continues.
• Electrical work is being done on the 2nd Floor.
• The work on the plumbing, mechanical, fire sprinkler and electrical systems continues on the 6th Floor.
  • Sheetrock is being installed on some of the new interior walls.
• The gas line for the new 7th Floor lab has been installed.

Repair Work at 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• Elevator Repairs:
  • Stratos finished changing the travel cables for Elevator #7.
  • Stratos finished changing the governor sheave and governor ropes on Elevator #7.
  • Stratos finished wiring the car station for Elevator #7.
• Final Remediation and Cleaning:
  • Zimmer-Eschette finished cleaning Room 109H, and the control room and storage room in the auditorium.
    • The rooms passed visual inspection and were tested.
• Terrazzo Floors:
  • Premier Source Inc. finished polishing the terrazzo floor in the Tulane Ave. corridor on the 5th Floor.
  • Premier Source Inc. detailed the terrazzo floor and ceramic base on the 7th and 8th Floors.
• Mini Blinds:
  • Brooks Window Coverings finished installing the mini-blinds on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Floors.
• Ceiling Lights:
  • Hogue & Associates finished removing the old ceiling light fixtures in the old section of the building near the near the rear elevators on all floors.
  • Hogue & Associates are installing the new light fixtures in the center corridor on the 1st and 2nd Floors.
    • The contractor is removing light fixtures in the old section of the building near the elevators.
• New Furniture:
  • The Herman-Miller Group is assembling modular furniture in offices on the 7th Floor that were previously inaccessible.
  • The Herman-Miller Group delivered the soft surface lounge furnishings and staged them in the old section of the building until the remaining renovations are complete.
• Fire Alarm:
  • Siemens is clearing fire alarm panel troubles (lower smoke detectors) in the elevator shafts for Elevators #1, #2, and #3.
  • The contractor is clearing fire alarm panel troubles (exhaust fan/smoke detectors) in the penthouse for Elevator #7 and #8.
  • Siemens is assessing the damage to the smoke detectors and fire alarm devices in the elevator pits for Elevators #1, #2, #3, and #7.
• Misc.
  • Zimmer-Eschette primed and painted the temporary mechanical room walls on the 6th and 7th Floors.
  • The contractor painted the ceiling in the Tulane Ave. entrance lobby on the 1st Floor.
  • The contractor is relocating the storage boxes containing old office contents and the remaining pre-Katrina furniture on the 4th Floor to the rear of the building, in the old section that will not be re-occupied immediately.
  • Trison crews are sealing the plaster ceilings in the elevator lobbies of the 2nd and 3rd Floors in the old section of the building.
  • Merit Sprinkler Co. is removing the damaged air compressor for the 8th Floor dry pipe system.

Repair Work at the Dental School:

• Permanent Roof Repairs:
  • Needham Roofing completed cleaning and water proofing the penthouses and parapet walls on the Clinic and Administration Buildings.
  • They are installing the wood nailers for the metal coping on the tops of the parapet walls. The metal coping is designed to further deter water penetration through the roofs on both buildings.

• Terrazzo Honing:

• Premier Source Inc. completed honing the terrazzo on the 1st Floor of the Clinic.
• Premier Source Inc. finished honing the terrazzo floors in the 2nd Floor elevator lobby and waiting area of the Clinic Building.
• Premier Source completed honing the terrazzo floors in the Clinic Building 3rd and 4th Floor lobbies and waiting areas.
• They are now working on the black terrazzo on the 4th Floor of the Administration Building.

Downtown Landscaping Project:

• Crews connected the irrigation control valve wires for the Resource Center, Station # 4 to the automatic controller and programmed the controller to operate overnight.
• They completed the installation of pipe and sprinklers for Station # 5 which serves the planting beds located at the front of the building.
• Crews planted six crepe myrtle trees in the Pocket Park located in the corner of Student Parking Lot # 2.
• New Carissa Holly bushes were planted in front of the Resource Center.
• The tree service has agreed to replace the 'Drake' Chinese Elm tree that did not survive being transplanted.
  • The replacement tree will be container-grown instead of being transplanted.
  • Ivy will be installed in the center section after replacement of the large tree.
• The crews completed the installation of plants in each of the two side areas in the Student Parking Lot # 2 Pocket Park.
• The planting beds have been mulched.

MEB 2nd Floor Lobby Renovation:

• Zimmer removed the old floor tile from the entire lobby area.
• Zimmer removed the floor tile from in front of Campus Office Stores, the Mens Room, the stairwell closest to the elevated walkway to the Residence Hall, and the Planning Office.
• Zimmer removed the metal from the storefront and fixed the lights in the CAD conference room.

Resource Center Library Renovations:

• The demolition phase of the project is complete.
• The remaining construction walls have been erected.
  • Directional signage directing patrons on entering and exiting the library are in place.
• New interior walls have been laid out and stud walls are being constructed.
• The new HVAC duct work is being fabricated and installed.

Residence Hall 2^nd Floor Expansion:

• Zimmer completed the interior flooring demolition and has begun to build the temporary ramps.
• The concrete pad for the new air handling unit has been poured and finished.
• The new AHU has been delivered and has been set in place. The installation is progressing well.

MEB 4^th Floor - MDL #5 Renovations:

• AEC removed the old floor tile from MDL #5.
• The contractor is demolishing the ceiling, old lighting and the existing casework.

MEB Lecture Rooms A & B Renovations:

• Trison finished running the electrical conduits in the ceilings in both Lecture Rooms.

MEB Cafeteria Terrazzo Honing:

• Premier continues to hone and polish the floors in the cafeteria.

Elevator Upgrades:

• The Medical Education Building elevator upgrades on Freight Elevator #7 are complete and this elevator is now in service.
  • It requires a key to operate it and is to be used for deliveries and for any and all types of carts.
• All four passenger elevators are now upgraded and released for passenger service. The upgrades to the passenger elevators provide for faster service, more reliability as well as a more appealing and updated interiors.
  • In order to protect the upgraded interiors of the passenger elevators, carts of any type are only to be transported on freight elevators.

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