From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #89
Posted: March 27, 2009

On March 17, 2009 we met with Mr. Charlie Axton and representatives of GOHSEP regarding our hazard mitigation proposals that were deemed ineligible by FEMA late in 2008. Mr. Axton is a senior FEMA official who was appointed by Secretary Napolitano to head up an independent "decision team". The challenge for that team was to seek rapid resolutions to many of the issues that have slowed the recovery from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

We have just been informed that the Unified Public Assistance Project Decision Team has prepared an Eligibility Decision document based on our 3/17/2009 briefing. Each of the points which we challenged and which were core to the original determinations of ineligibility were decided in our favor. We are very pleased with the results and are cautiously optimistic that this will allow our hazard mitigation proposals related to the permanent repairs of our major buildings to be re-visited and approved. GOHSEP will soon meet with FEMA to determine how we will proceed. We will keep you informed of our progress.

We have been making concerted efforts to finish up a number of the projects that have been underway for some time. The renovation project in MDL 6 is substantially complete. The floors have been stripped and waxed. The contractor is completing the various punch list items and the final clean up is being done.

We have been pushing to have the next phase of reoccupation of the Clinical Education Building completed by the end of April. This will allow the 3rd and 4th Floors of the front portions of the building to be put back into use by clinical faculty and staff. Furniture is being put in place and arranged on the 3rd Floor. Workers continued demolishing the plaster ceiling in Rooms 341, 342 and 343. Three more fan coil units are in place on the 3rd Floor.

Work on the 1542 Tulane St. elevators 1, 2 and 3 is substantially complete and Facility Planning and Control inspected the work of the contractor. The final inspection by the State Elevator Inspector will be scheduled within 30 days. Work on the 1st and 2nd Floor lounges is progressing. The rough in work in the 2nd Floor lounge has been finished and crews are hanging drywall. The rough in electrical work is underway in the 1st Floor lounge and the new glass wall leading from the hallway has been installed and trimmed out. The painting in Rooms 109H, 111, and 111A was been finished and the ceiling work in Room 111 completed.

We are encouraging the Lions/LSU Clinic contractor to finish the work on the 6th Floor and allow us to have constructive occupancy within the next month. This would allow us to complete the configuration and set up of the Cohn Learning Center and have it ready for use with the beginning of the new academic year this fall.

Carpet and vinyl floor tile is being installed on the 1st and 6th Floor of the Lions/LSU Clinic Building. Ceiling grid and ceiling tile is going up as spaces are prepared. Medical air, gas and vacuum lines in the simulation labs have been tested and are being connected to the appropriate Stryker equipment. The Stryker equipment is being connected to the 5th Floor rack that houses the Stryker computers and communications equipment. Lights have been installed above the receptionist desk and in the computer lounge. The counter tops are in place in the 6th Floor computer lounge. Exit signs are being hung in appropriate locations. Network wiring racks and cable trays have been installed in the 6th Floor network closet and the new voice and data cable is being installed. The work to dry flood proof the freight elevator shaft on the 1st Floor has begun. Exterior granite has been installed on most levels of the new exterior stairwell and the roof is being installed. Painting and the installation of finish trim is underway in several areas. The 1st Floor restroom doors have been hung.

We are also working to have the Library Commons project completed within the next 30 days or so. All of the ceiling baffles have been installed throughout the Library Commons area. Two additional custom furniture bases and the magazine rack are in place in the study area. Ceiling trim for the wood ceilings has been installed. The lights and shelving are being installed in the display cases. The plumbing and electrical wiring of the coffee kiosk is substantially complete.

Renovations to the MEB Pharmacology lab spaces have progressed quickly and should be completed in the near future. The floors have been leveled and floated. Tile has been installed in the lab area. Sprinkler heads have been adjusted to suit the new ceiling layout and the fire alarms are in place. The HVAC diffusers have been installed and the exhaust duct work in the corridor has been finished.

The wall mounted light fixtures in Auditoriums A & B at the Dental School have been mounted and the ballasts are being connected. Doors and return air louvers have been installed in the AHU room, and old sprinkler pipe was removed.

The cabinet installers working in the 6th and 8th Floor Dental laboratories installed the remaining counter tops and back splashes for the peninsulas in Suites 8405A and 8405B. The electrical receptacles have been installed in the peninsulas. Network wiring was installed and the terminals and cover plates are in place. Medical air, gas and vacuum valves have been installed on the 8th Floor. New fire alarm devices are being installed and connected on both the 6th and 8th Floors. The fume hood utilities have been connected in Room 6335 and the plumbing connections are finished on the 8th Floor. The new doors are in place on the 6th Floor and the window glass has been installed in the windows and doors in Suite 8405 and selected 8th Floor rooms.

The contractor continues to hang light fixtures in the 2nd Floor lobby of the MEB. Fire sprinklers have been tested and damaged sheet rock is being repaired. Power has been connected to the automatic doors and new electrical outlets are in place along the walls. Lights were installed in the area between the two automatic doors.

The contractor has begun to relocate sprinkler heads in the expanded lobby area of the Residence Hall. Electricians roughed in for the new fire alarm devices and smoke detectors. The fur down in the rear lobby area of Tower A has been framed, dry walled, taped and floated. The linear diffusers have been installed in the same area. The mezzanine level fur down has been framed. Plenum boxes have been installed along the new storefront wall. The plaster walls in the Tower A and C lobby areas have been patched and skim coated.

The replacement of the roof on the Allied Health/Nursing Building was recently interrupted by the threat of heavy rains. Before work was suspended, the old roofs were removed from the stair and elevator penthouses and the new roofing system was installed over both penthouses. Work will resume as the weather clears.

Here are highlights of work that has been accomplished during the past two weeks.

MEB MDL 6 RENOVATIONS:

• The general contractor stripped and waxed the floor.
• Crews are working on punch list items.
• The general contractor is completing the final cleanup.
• This project is substantially complete.

Repair Work at 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• Painting:
  • The painting contractor completed painting offices on the 2nd Floor.
  • The general contractor completed work in Rooms 109H, 111 and 111A.
  • They completed the ceiling work in Room 111.
• Lounge Areas:
  • The glass contractor installed the new glass wall leading from the lobby into the 1st Floor lounge.
    • They completed the trim work of the new glass wall in the lounge.
  • The electrical contractor continued the electrical rough-in in the 1st Floor lounge.
  • Workers are hanging drywall in the 2nd Floor lounge.
• The elevator contractor had the final inspection on Elevators 1, 2, and 3 with Facility Planning and Control.
  • An inspection by the State Elevator Inspector will be scheduled in the next 30 days.

• Misc.:
  • The furniture vendor relocated modular furniture and surveyed the 2nd and 3rd Floors in preparation for installing furniture.
  • Workers continued demolishing the plaster ceiling in Rooms 341, 342 and 343.
  • The mechanical contractor installed a new fan coil units in Room 341, Room 342 and Room 343.
  • A crew began making wall repairs in Rooms 235K and 235M.

LIONS/LSU CLINIC PERMANENT REPAIRS AND MITIGATION:

• The general contractor installed kitchen and mail room cabinets on the 6th Floor.
  • Carpet was installed on the S. Prieur St. side of the 6th Floor.
  • They installed carpet in the large conference room, floor tile in the elevator lobby on the 6th Floor and VCT flooring in the hallways between the simulation rooms.
  • Additional floor tile was installed in the 6th Floor computer lounge
  • Ceiling tile was installed on the 6th Floor Bolivar/Gravier Street side.
  • The contractor installed the ceiling grid in the 1st Floor elevator lobbies.
  • The contractor installed concrete forms for the freight elevator flood proofing wall.
  • They began installing block walls in the freight elevator shaft on the 1st Floor.
  • The contractor installed the fire rated wall on the 5th Floor for the new stairwell.
  • The contractor installed laminate on the fur down above the work stations in the computer lounge area.
  • Workers installed the window frames by the new stairwell door on the 6th Floor Gravier Street side.
  • The contractor installed glass in the storefront wall between the computer lounge and the new stairwell.
  • The contractor installed the elevator lobby storefront.
  • Crews installed cove base in the 6th Floor conference rooms on the CSRB side.
  • Workers hung restroom doors on the 1st Floor, Bolivar and S. Prieur Street sides.
  • Crews installed countertops in the 6th Floor computer lounge.
  • Workers installed exterior granite on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th levels of the new stairwell.
  • The contractor began installing the roof of the new stairwell.
  • Workers began painting the plaster walls on the 1st Floor, CSRB side.
  • Workers plastered the 1st Floor restroom walls on the Bolivar Street side of the building.
• The mechanical contractor soldered the pipes for the medical air/gas/vacuum ceiling boxes in the simulation rooms.
  • They tied in the medical air/gas/vacuum to the Stryker equipment in the simulation rooms.
  • The medical air/gas/vacuum lines in the simulation rooms were successfully tested.
  • Workers installed the building management system in the 6th Floor Bolivar Street side mechanical room.
  • The mechanical contractor installed copper tubing to control the chilled water valves for the AHU on the 6th Floor, Bolivar Street side.
• The electrical contractor installed control wire for the new generator.
  • They wired the fire pump controller to the motor and ran conduit from the jockey pump to panel AC2A.
  • Workers pulled wire from the jockey pump to panel AC2A.
  • Light fixtures and exit signs were installed in the 6th Floor computer lounge area.
  • Workers installed lights above the receptionist desk.
  • They installed wire mold in the control rooms and the computer lounge.
  • Electricians installed cable for Stryker equipment from the control rooms to the 5th Floor Stryker rack.
  • They are wiring the Stryker boom and boom lighting in the operating room on the 6th Floor.
  • Electricians installed floor boxes in the southwest simulation room.
  • Workers installed the racks and cable tray in the 6th Floor network closet.
  • A crew is running data and voice cables on the new racks and cable tray in the 6th Floor network closet.
  • The electrical contractor terminated phone wires at the patch panels in the 6th Floor telephone/data closet.
  • Workers are removing the existing underground feeder cables from the old 1st Floor switchgear room.
  • Conduit for the new stairwell lighting was run.
  • Lights are being installed on the exterior stairs on the S. Prieur Street side.
  • The contractor load tested the roof top generator.
• The sprinkler subcontractor installed sprinkler heads in the Directors office.
• Stryker began installing the boom in the mock OR.

LIBRARY COMMONS PROJECT:

• The contractor completed installing the new ceiling baffles.
• They installed the magazine rack in the study area.
• The installation of the ceiling trim for the wood ceilings was completed.
• Two additional custom furniture bases were installed in the study area.
• The fire extinguisher cabinet was installed in the Womens restroom.
• The contractor continued constructing the display case in the elevator lobby.
  • The contractor installed shelving in the new display cases.
  • LSUHSC Facility Services electricians began installing light fixtures inside the new display cases.
  • The contractor installed all of the display cases and decorative screens in the feature wall.
• LSUHSC Facility Services personnel plumbed and wired coffee kiosk equipment.
  • They continued installing light switches and completed the plumbing work.

MEB PHARMACOLOGY LAB RENOVATIONS:

• The contractor completing installing exhaust ductwork in the corridor.
  • Workers installed diffusers in the lab area.
• They modified sprinkler heads in the lab area.
• Workers painted walls in the administrative area.
• Crews floated the floors in the lab area and the administrative area (being converted into lab space).
  • The flooring contractor installed VCT in the lab area.
• The contractor continued roughing in the plumbing and med gas for the administrative area (which is being converted to lab space).
• The contractor installed fire alarms in the lab area.
• The contractor installed the sheetrock ceiling for the animal care room.

MEB 2nd FLOOR LOBBY RENOVATIONS:

• The contractor continued installing light fixtures throughout the lobby.
• Workers patched damaged sheetrock.
• The sprinklers on the 2nd Floor have been tested.　
• Electricians continue installing outlets along the walls and lights in the area between the two automatic doors.
• The contractor moved receptacles in the walls for the wall panel installation and provided the power to the automatic doors.

DENTAL AUDITORIUMS A & B RENOVATIONS:

• The sprinkler contractor removed existing sprinkler pipe.
• The electrical contractor installed the wall-mounted light fixtures in Auditoriums A and B.
• The electrical contractor wired the ballasts for the wall-mounted light fixtures in Auditorium B.
• The general contractor installed the door for the AHU room in Auditorium B.
• The mechanical contractor installed the return air louver for the AHU room in Auditoriums A and B.

DENTAL 6th & 8th FLOOR LAB RENOVATIONS:

• The cabinet installers installed the remaining counter tops for the peninsulas in Suites 8405A and 8405B.
  • They installed the backsplash for the peninsulas in Suites 8405A and 8405B.
• The network wiring crew installed the network wiring in Rooms 8405H, 8405I, and 8405J.
  • They installed networking terminals and cover plates for the network drops in Suite 8405.
• The electrical contractor installed receptacles for the peninsulas in Suites 8405A and 8405B.
  • They installed boxes and conduit for the new fire alarm devices in Suite 8405.
  • The wiring for the new fire alarm devices in Suite 8405 and Room 6335 was installed.
• The fire alarm contractor installed the new fire alarm devices in Suite 8405.
  • They installed the new fire alarm devices in Room 6335.
• The mechanical contractor installed safety showers in Rooms 8405A and 8405B.
  • They connected the fume hood utilities in Room 6335.
  • Plumbers installed sink connections in Rooms 8405A and 8405B.
  • The contractor installed ductwork to the fume hood on the 8th Floor.
  • Medical air, gas and vacuum valves were installed on the 8th Floor.
  • Plumbers connected plumbing utilities for the fume hood in Room 8405H.
• The general contractor installed the window glass for the doors in Suite 8405 and windows in Rooms 8405I & 8405K.
  • They installed the 6th Floor doors.
  • Crews cleaned the floors and cabinets, and applied touch-up paint on the walls in Suite 8405 and Rooms 6333 and 6335.

RESIDENCE HALL LOBBY EXPANSION:

• The contractor framed and dry walled the fur down in the back lobby area of Tower A.
  • Workers taped and floated the fur down.
• The interior contractor framed the fur down in the mezzanine level between the B & C Towers.
• The contractor began relocating sprinkler heads.
• The power and access control devices were removed from the old entrance.
• Workers patched and skim coated the plaster wall in the A and C Tower lobby areas.
• Linear diffusers were installed near the back lobby of Tower A.
• The electrical contractor roughed in for fire alarms and smoke detectors in the expanded lobby area.
• The mechanical contractor installed plenum boxes along the storefront wall in the extended lobby area.

DENTAL SCHOOL BOILER INSTALLATION:

• The contractor installed relief valves for the new boiler.

ALLIED HEALTH/NURSING ROOF REPLACEMENT:

• The contractor removed the lightweight concrete roofing system from the elevator penthouse and installed the foam insulation.　
• Crews installed the first ply of the new roofing material on the elevator penthouse.
• They removed the old roofing system from the stair penthouse and installed the insulation.　
• The installation of the two-ply roof on the elevator penthouse and the stairwell penthouse was completed.
• The contractor suspended work. The roof is currently sealed and protected from the heavy rains forecast for the next few days and into the weekend.

EXTERIOR/LANDSCAPING:

• LSUHSC Facility Services installed sod in the back of the Resource Center building.
• Workers removed existing vegetation in the rear of the Resource Center along S. Prieur Street.
• Facility Services installed irrigation piping in the rear of the Resource Center along S. Prieur St.

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