From: Ronnie Smith, Vice Chancellor, Administration and Finance
Subject: Hurricane Katrina Recovery – Update #90
Posted: April 10, 2009

Two weeks ago we reported on the results of a March 17, 2009 meeting with Mr. Charlie Axton (appointed by Secretary Napolitano to head up an independent "decision team") and representatives of GOHSEP regarding our hazard mitigation proposals that were deemed ineligible by FEMA late in 2008. The Unified Public Assistance Project Decision Team decided the issues that we raised in the meeting in our favor.

Since that time, we have had discussions with representatives of both GOHSEP and the FEMA Health and Research team about the path forward. The FEMA Health and Research team has already begun to work on re-packaging our more straight forward proposals and preparing them to be submitted to FEMA for review under the new guidelines and principles set forth in the decision document. We would anticipate that the proposals for the Resource Center and the Residence Hall will be prepared in a short period of time. The bid documents for both projects are nearly complete so that when FEMA approves and obligates funds, the projects can be bid immediately.

Current plans for the Allied Health/Nursing Building now include additional work that will provide critical lecture room space on the 2nd Floor and use 1st Floor space to provide for the office space that will be displaced from the 2nd Floor. This additional work will require some additional review by both FEMA and GOHSEP. The bid documents for this project are also nearing completion.

The combined project to address the permanent repairs and mitigation for the MEB and the CSRB includes a sizable addition to the rear of the CSRB that will elevate critical animal care spaces from both buildings and provide emergency generator power that will help to protect the surrounding downtown campus buildings. Significant permanent repairs are also incorporated into the proposal. The resulting complexity of this project is expected to prompt addition requests for information from FEMA as the proposal is prepared for re-submission. The architects anticipate having the Construction Documents prepared by the end of May for this project.

The Dental School campus is similarly complex. The proposal addresses permanent repairs to the Clinic Building, the Administration Building and the Power Plant. It also proposes an annex to the Clinic Building that will house critical functions and building equipment that had been housed in the shared basement spaces of both buildings and the 1st Floor of the Clinic Building. Similar to the downtown campus concept for the CSRB, the annex will also house additional emergency generation capacity that will provide for non-life safety needs; protecting research animals, research samples, etc. The Design/Development documents are being worked on by the joint venture at this time. When they are prepared, they will form the basis of the formal proposal to FEMA.

We also expect to have the Design/Development documents for the Central Utility Plant and the Roman St. Garage available by early in May. Once these documents have been reviewed and approved by LSUHSC and the Office of Facility Planning and Control, they will be formally transmitted to FEMA and GOHSEP for approval. These reviews typically consume about 30 days.

We remain cautiously optimistic that the new leadership at the FEMA Temporary Recovery Office and the decisions of Mr. Axton’s team will allow our proposals to move through the FEMA review queues without any undue resistance. However, we will remain in touch with senior FEMA and GOHSEP leadership and seek their assistance should any unexpected problems arise.

Work is continuing at 1542 Tulane Ave. with the intention of moving additional faculty and staff onto the 3rd and 4th Floors within the next month. Painting and miscellaneous electrical repairs are being finished and some additional carpeting has been laid. New fan coil units are being wired and three new offices are being constructed along the Tulane Ave. side of the building. Other crews are being shifted to the 1st and 2nd Floors where work on the lounges is progressing. The 2nd Floor lounge has been dry walled and painted. The ceiling grid is in place and ceiling tiles are being installed. The plumbers are roughing in the plumbing in the 1st Floor lounge. The duct work has been installed and insulated. The attached parking garage has been cleaned and striped. A new high speed roll up door has been installed and should be fully operational soon.

The formal proposal to make permanent repairs to the Clinical Education Building and to elevate critical building components into an addition to the building has been reviewed and approved by the State and FEMA historical groups. They have approved the plan, but required that the exterior of the addition be clad in concrete panels that will better match the exterior of the existing structure. The historic review was the final review required by FEMA locally and we anticipate that proposal will move to the Million Dollar queue in Washington, DC for the final approval.

The Library Commons project is nearing completion. Work on the display cases is substantially complete. The electrical receptacles and network connections are complete, shelving has been installed, and the metal base trim material is in place around the cabinet bases. The wall coverings have been hung in the small and large multimedia rooms and along the window wall. Additional light fixtures are in place and the wood trim has been applied to the wood covered columns.

The contractor at the Lions/LSU Clinic Building continues his push to complete work on the 6th Floor so that we can have constructive occupancy of the Learning Center within the next few weeks. Stryker and the electrical contractor are nearing completion of the installation of the Stryker equipment in the simulation labs and of the related audio/visual equipment. Flooring materials and ceiling tiles continue to be installed throughout the floor. Finish work is being completed in the conference rooms. Most of the granite facing has been placed on the exterior of the new stairwell. The 1st and 6th Floor glass doors from the building to the stairwell are in place. The flood proofing of the freight elevator is progressing.

Another project that is approaching completion is the renovations to the MEB Pharmacology lab. The concrete subfloor was leveled in both the lab and administrative area and floor tiles are being installed. The peninsular casework and countertops have been installed. Ceiling lights are in place in both the lab and the administrative areas. Fume hoods have been put in place and are being connected. The vinyl wall covering was applied in the animal care room and door frames installed in both the lab and administrative areas.

Work continues in the 2nd Floor lobby of the MEB. Storefront windows have been installed at the Campus Stores location. Additional dry wall has been hung, taped and floated. The soffit across from the elevators was framed up and dry walled.

The focus of the work at the Dental School Auditoriums has shifted to the preparations for the state of the art audio/visual equipment. The electricians have run additional overhead conduit in both Auditoriums to handle the wiring and controls for the projectors, speakers, computers, and the podiums. The new IT closet has been framed up. The State Fire Marshall inspected and passed the fire alarm system in the 6th and 8th Floor Dental School labs that have been renovated.

The mechanical contractor installed plenum boxes along the storefront wall in the extended lobby area of the Residence Hall. Sprinkler pipes have been raised and sprinkler heads relocated. The fur down in the expanded lobby area has been framed up and the sheet rock is being hung, taped and floated. The contractor roughed in for the fire alarm devices and the old network closet was demolished.

The roof replacement at the Allied Health/Nursing Building has experienced a few additional weather delays due to rain and/or high winds. However, the crews have made excellent progress in removing the old roofing material and installing the temporary two-ply roof which keeps the roof water tight during the process. They are generally working in 30 foot wide strips and several strips have been completed during the past two weeks.

The re-roofing project at the Resource Center is being re-bid, after technical deficiencies caused all of the original bids to be rejected. The pre-bid conference was held on April 8th and the architects reported significant interest from several contractors. The bids will be opened on April 21st.

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

Repair Work at 1542 Tulane Ave.:

• The general contractor completed installing doors in Room 111B.
  • A crew is floating and sanding the new drywall in the 2nd Floor lounge.
  • They are making wall repairs in Rooms 235K and 235M.
  • Workers are framing up new walls in Rooms 341, 342 and 343.
• Painting:
  • Workers completed painting in Rooms 235K and 235M.
• Lounge Areas:
  • A crew continued taping, floating and sanding the drywall in the 2nd Floor lounge.
  • The mechanical contractor installed the new ductwork in the 1st Floor lounge.
  • The insulation contractor insulated the new ductwork in the 1st Floor lounge.
  • Workers painted the 2nd Floor lounge.
  • The ceiling grid has been installed in the 2nd Floor lounge.
  • Workers are installing ceiling tiles in the 2nd Floor lounge.
  • The mechanical contractor started installing plumbing in the 1st Floor lounge.
• The mechanical contractor installed new fan coil units in Rooms 345 and 345A.
  • Workers installed drain lines on the new fan coil units in Rooms 345, 343 and 342.
• The electrical sub-contractor continued wiring fan coil units on the 3rd Floor.

• Misc.:
  • The furniture vendor delivered new furniture to the 4th Floor storage area.
  • The roll-up door contractor installed the new roll-up door door at the entrance to the parking garage.
  • The door contractor installed new loading dock doors on the Lakeside Lot service entrance.
  • The network wiring contractor installed new data drops on the 3rd Floor.
  • The access control contractor began installing door contacts on the emergency exit doors on the Charity side of the 1st Floor hallway.
  • The flooring contractor installed carpet in offices on the 2nd and 3rd Floors.

LIONS/LSU CLINIC PERMANENT REPAIRS AND MITIGATION:

• The contractor removed existing waterproofing sealer and applied the completed the new waterproofing in the freight elevator pit.
  • They laminated the reception desk countertop.
  • Workers installed the metal soffit under the main entrance.
    • Metal lathe for the stairwell overhang has been installed.
  • Crews installed granite on the 5th and 6th levels of the new stairwell.
    • Crews installed granite on the front edge of the sidewalk around the stair tower.
    • The granite cap was installed at the top of the new stairwell.
    • Workers applied the 1st layer of stucco under the canopy of the exterior stairwell.
    • Crews installed break metal interior trim for the windows of the new stairwell on the 1st level.
  • The contractor patched and placed floor tile in the rear of the building and installed tile around the computer lounge.
    • Workers installed VCT in the 6th Floor elevator lobby, adjacent storage room and housekeeping closet.
    • The contractor grouted floor tile in the computer lounge.
    • Cove base was installed around the 6th Floor reception desk.
    • The contractor installed VCT in the 2nd Floor entry way to the new build out.
  • A crew plastered the soffit in the computer lounge.
    • Crews installed new countertops in the computer lounge.
    • The contractor installed wall covering in the 6th Floor computer lounge.
  • Ceiling tiles were installed in the 1st Floor elevator lobby.
    • Crews installed ceiling grid on the 6th Floor, Gravier/S. Prieur Street side.
  • Crews installed windows on the 5th Floor of the exterior stairwell.
  • Crews installed trim at the header of marker boards in Rooms 671,673, 675, 676,677, 678, 681, 682, and 683.
    • Workers installed cove base on the Gravier St. side of the 6th Floor.
  • Workers painted on the 1st Floor near the freight elevator and installed the stair door on the 1st Floor near the passenger elevator.
  • Crews continued painting on the 1st Floor, S. Prieur/CSRB side.
  • They installed the stairwell glass doors on the 1st and 6th Floors.
• The electrical contractor began installing lights in the 1st Floor stairwell.
  • Electricians connected electrical wire to the Stryker equipment.
  • Crews installed wire mold on the 6th Floor.
  • The old feeder cable has been removed from the switchgear room.
  • The electrical contractor roughed in for new exit lights on the 5th Floor, Gravier Street side.
  • They installed lights and receptacles on the S. Prieur St. and Gravier St. sides of the 1st Floor.
  • Electricians installed ceiling lights on the 6th Floor and stairwell lights on the 1st and 2nd Floors.
  • They installed wire for the sump pump for the elevator on the 1st Floor, Bolivar Street side.
• The mechanical contractor installed a sink in the 6th Floor break room.
  • Workers connected Stryker equipment to the medical air/gas/vacuum lines in the 6th Floor simulation rooms.
  • They installed a storm drain grate on the stairwell roof and installed copper lines to chilled water valves on the 1st Floor.
• Stryker continued to install wires and equipment on the 6th Floor.
  • Stryker continues to install their A/V equipment in the simulation rooms.
  • Stryker installed speakers in the large lecture room and installed routers in the network closet on the 6th Floor.
  • Stryker tested the medical equipment system.
• AT&T continues to install the new telephone feeder.
  • AT&T is installing wires in the new room on the 2nd Floor to allow for the transfer of the phone line connections from the 1st Floor to the 2nd Floor.

LIBRARY COMMONS PROJECT:

• The contractor installed metal base around the display cases.
  • They installed network cabling in the display cases.　
  • Facilities Services electricians completing the installation of the display case receptacles.
  • The contractor completed work on the custom furniture and display cases.
• The contractor installed trim on the wood covered columns.
• Facilities Services electricians installed light switches in the multimedia rooms.
• The contractor installed wall covering in the large and small multimedia rooms.
  • Workers installed wall covering along the window wall and in the restrooms.
• LSUHSC Facility Services electricians installed egg lights and receptacles in the multimedia rooms.
  • LSUHSC Facility Services electricians installed new exit signs.
• The fire alarm devices are being installed.

MEB PHARMACOLOGY LAB RENOVATIONS:

• The contractor installed ceramic tile around the opening of Room 5220.
  • Ceramic tile was installed around the door openings in the administrative area.
  • Workers floated the floors in the lab and administrative areas.　　　
  • VCT was installed on the floor in the administrative area being converted to lab space.
  • A crew installed black tile around the doorways in the administrative area.
• The light fixtures in the lab and administrative areas have been installed.
• Workers installed fireproofing at all the core drill locations.
• Workers installed the peninsular casework in Room 5219, 5219A and 5262.
  • The casework contractor installed countertops in Rooms 5219, 5219A and 5262.
• The contractor replaced the four fume hoods.
  • The mechanical contractor started connecting the fume hoods.
• The contractor installed four door frames in the administrative area.
  • Door frames were installed in the lab area.
• The contractor installed vinyl wall covering for the animal care room.
  • The contractor heat welded the vinyl wall covering for the animal care room.

MEB 2nd FLOOR LOBBY RENOVATIONS:

• The contractor taped, floated and sanded the new exteriors of the storefront walls.
• The storefront windows for the Campus Stores location were installed.
• Workers installed sheetrock near the granite columns.
• The contractor framed and the soffit across from the elevator and hung the sheetrock.
• The contractor re-installed the window frames for the store fronts.

DENTAL AUDITORIUMS A & B RENOVATIONS:

• The electrical contractor ran the conduit for the multi-media equipment in Auditorium B.
• They installed the overhead conduit for the podium and the A/V connections in Auditoriums A & B.
• Electricians installed additional overhead conduit for the podium, speaker, and projector connections in Auditorium B, extending the conduit into the lobby area.
• The electrical contractor installed Unistrut in the elevator lobby for the additional overhead conduit.
• The contractor framed the raised stage area underneath Auditorium C (for the IT closet).

DENTAL 6th & 8th FLOOR LAB RENOVATIONS:

• The architect held the inspection by the State Fire Marshall.
  • Both the 6th & 8th Floor fire alarms passed inspection.

RESIDENCE HALL LOBBY EXPANSION:

• The mechanical contractor installed plenum boxes along the storefront wall in the extended lobby area.
  • The mechanical contractor raised the sprinkler pipes in the expanded lobby area.
• The contractor patched and skin coated the plaster walls by the B and C Tower elevators.
• Crews roughed in the fire alarm devices in the expanded lobby area.

• The interior contractor framed the fur down in the mezzanine level between the B & C Towers.
  • They installed sheetrock, taped and floated the fur down in the mezzanine level between the B & C Towers.
• The contractor framed up the fur down in the expanded lobby area.
  • They are installing sheetrock and taped and floated the fur down in the expanded lobby area.
• The contractor relocated fire sprinkler heads between A and B Tower.
• The old network closet was demolished.

ALLIED HEALTH/NURSING ROOF REPLACEMENT:

• The contractor removed a 30 foot section of the old light weight concrete and Styrofoam insulation along the Bolivar Street side of the roof.
  • They installed a two-ply temporary roofing system that will keep the building watertight.
• The contractor removed another 30 ft section of the roof parallel to Bolivar Street and applied the two-ply roof.
• The contractor removed another 30 ft section of the roof parallel to Bolivar Street and applied the two-ply temporary roof.
  • The contractor is now past the elevator penthouse.
• The contractor removed the roof section parallel to Gravier St around the elevator penthouse and applied the two-ply temporary roof.
• The contractor removed a 30-foot roof section of the old roof parallel to Roman St. at the MEB side of the elevator penthouse and applied the two-ply temporary roof.

EXTERIOR/LANDSCAPING:

• LSUHSC Facility Services completed installation of the irrigation piping in the rear of the Resource Center along S. Prieur.
• Workers graded the planting bed in the rear of the Resource Center along S. Prieur St. and installed shrubs.
• They completed installing all piping and sprinklers for station # 11 on the S. Roman St. side of the MEB.

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