21
December
2017
|
11:23 AM
America/Chicago

Facilities Work During Winter Break

(The following is a message from David Bradley, vice president for Administration and Finance)

The Winter Break - particularly the week between Christmas and New Year's Day, when all are on break - has always been an ideal time to schedule facilities maintenance projects that under normal circumstances would be operationally disruptive. This year is no different.

The most significant 2017/18 Winter Break facilities project involves the replacement of two cooling tower cells, located on the roof of the North Tower of the One Main Building. To do this work a very large crane will be on-site, set up on Girard Street adjacent to the Girard Street/Welcome Center Building. This cooling tower work is expected to take three days, from Tuesday, Dec 26 through Thursday. Dec 28.

Representatives from UHD's Facilities Management, Environmental Health & Safety, and Police departments have met with the contractor to review their safety plan. UHD Facilities Management personnel will be on site while the cooling tower work is being done, and additional police officers will be working to keep people out of restricted areas.

The University is closed to normal operations during this time, but historically there have always been a few faculty/staff members who have wanted to come to campus and access their labs/offices over the break. The point-of-entry has always been the Police Dispatch Center, located under the North Deck. Though discouraged from doing so, faculty/staff will still be able to come to campus over the Christmas-to-New Year break, but should be ready to be re-routed around the work area. The point-of-entry will continue to be through Police, which since Hurricane Harvey has been set up in the North Dock Lobby (PD will be moving back into their offices before the start of the Spring 2018 semester).

If it is necessary to come to campus (the One Main complex) during this time, the most convenient place to park would be the Wood Street lot.

While the campus can be accessed during that week between Christmas/New Years, it would be preferable to have as few people as possible coming to campus during that time.

There will be some other, less disruptive work going on during this time, including fire alarm testing, and service work on our emergency power system.

Thank you and have a happy and safe holiday season.