Main Tower Switchgear Project and Building Closure
January 4, 2024 Update
All systems that impact occupants have completed troubleshooting. The contractor can finish up the few remaining punch list items without impact or disruption to building tenants. Therefore, the building can return to normal access earlier than anticipated.
The Main Building will re-open on January 5 at 12:00 pm for all normal occupants to move back into their spaces.
A few notes/requests:
- Temporary signs will remain in place until close of business, 5:00 pm, Friday 1/5, and the building doors will not be unlocked to public access until Monday morning, so please do not shut down those temporary operations until normal business close tomorrow, to prevent confusion.
- Normal mail delivery service will resume and all held mail to be delivered beginning Monday morning 1/8.
- Normal cardholder access will work for after-hours access beginning tomorrow, so offices may be entered throughout the weekend by normally authorized personnel.
- Occupants are asked to re-establish their spaces in Main Building for normal operations to resume on Monday 1/8.
January 3, 2024 Update
Planning, Design and Construction and our supporting partners have completed the bulk of the work involved with the Main Building switchgear replacement. The team has successfully installed and connected the new equipment and restored power to the system yesterday. Testing and troubleshooting are on schedule with a reopening of the building no later than January 9, possibly sooner.
A few specifics:
- Building is still locked down. PM (Cedric Bouey) remains the point of contact for coordinating emergency access to Main.
- All temporary locations remain operational – please assume these locations will continue to be used until end-of-day Monday, January 8.
- Additional emails will come out this week with guidance on the actual day the building will re-open. We are working to achieve the earliest possible day, with safety as the main priority.
December 18, 2023 Update
Power was successfully shut down on Saturday, and the switchgear replacement effort is proceeding on schedule with a reopening of the Main Building no later than January 9.
- Generator is on site and the building is locked down. PM (Cedric Bouey) remains the POC for coordinating emergency access to Main.
- All signs for direction on deliveries and temporary locations are in place at the Main Building and Flawn Academic Center, as is the drop box at Main’s west entrance.
- All temporary locations are operational – please let me know if any problems or changes arise with temporary locations.
- Exterior tower lights remain operational.
December 15, 2023 Update
This is the last day of normal access and operation to the Main Building until the project completes.
A few updates:
- Signs have been posted at Main, Flawn Academic Center and at traffic booth to redirect deliveries and patrons of the Main offices.
- Contractor is on site and placing the generator today.
- Building will be secured and access only available by contacting the Project Manager, Cedric Bouey, as of tonight.
- A water leak on the first floor of Main occurred this morning and shorted the below-level fire alarm panel, causing an evacuation. This is not directly related to this project and does not change the schedule as laid out below.
- One additional request for all building occupants: Please dispose of your trash, especially food, in the main areas/break rooms to be sure it will be collected and not left to rot in your offices during the closure. Custodial Services is planning to collect larger amounts of trash than usual, as refrigerators are emptied, but your assistance is greatly appreciated to avoid this potentially smelly situation.
December 15:
All occupants remove any items needed during the shutdown and establish activities in temporary locations by end of the day.
Signage put in place at Main and Flawn Academic Center for temporary locations.
Drop box placed outside of Main west entrance by 4 pm.
Generator set up in parking spaces outside of Main.
December 16:
Power is shut down and building locked down until it is brought back to normal, safe operation.
For emergencies, PM (Cedric Bouey) will be able to coordinate access but this will be a last resort situation for true emergencies. Without power, the facility is not safe for occupants (elevators, HVAC, etc).
January 2: Contractor will re-energize the switchgear. We anticipate the need to troubleshoot shorts and other issues due to the age of the building’s electrical system.
January 8: All troubleshooting concludes and building is returned to normal BACS access by end of day.
January 9: Main will be open for normal business no later than this date, possibly sooner, depending on the troubleshooting requirements.
December 13, 2023 Update
Please find this revised summary table of relocation and mitigation efforts in support of the power outage at the Main Building from December 16 through January 9. A detailed schedule is also below. A few important notes:
- All entities with requirements in the table below have finalized mitigations for the building closure. Please contact Amanda Barker immediately if your organization will be impacted by the closure and no mitigation has been coordinated.
- Mail services – each department should have contacted Document Solutions directly with instructions on where to deliver during the building closure. If no direction is provided, mail services will hold all mail and deliver on January 9 or when the building is reopened. For those carriers who are not aware of the temporary rerouting, a secure drop box will be located at the West entrance and checked multiple times daily by Document Solutions.
- If the building is returned to safe operation before January 9, stakeholders will receive email notification that it is safe to return with additional direct communication as much as possible with all points of contact
- Exterior tower lights will remain in operation.
Schedule:
December 13 – contractor mobilizes, building remains in use by occupants.
December 15 – All occupants remove any items needed during the shutdown and establish activities in temporary locations by end of the day. Signage put in place at the Main Building and Flawn Academic Center for temporary locations. Dropbox placed outside of Main Building west entrance by 4 pm. Generator set up in parking spaces outside of Main Building.
December 16 – Power is shut down and building locked down until it is brought back to normal, safe operation. For emergencies, PM (Cedric Bouey) will be able to coordinate access but this will be a last resort situation for true emergencies. Without power, the facility is not safe for occupants (elevators, fire alarms, etc).
January 2& – Contractor will re-energize the switchgear. (We anticipate the need to troubleshoot shorts and other issues due to the age of the building’s electrical system.)
January 8 – all troubleshooting conclude and building is returned to normal BACS access by end of day.
January 9 – The Main Building will be open for normal business no later than this date, possibly sooner, depending on the troubleshooting requirements.
December 8, 2023 Update
Please find this revised summary table of relocation and mitigation efforts in support of the power outage at the Main Building from December 16 through January 9. A detailed schedule is also below. A few important notes:
- Requirement submissions: We believe that we have contacted all affected tenants or their reps and received any mitigation requirements. If you are aware of anyone who has not contacted us or provided those requirements as indicated in the table, please have them contact Kim Barker immediately.
- Mail services – each department should have contacted Document Solutions directly with instructions on where to deliver during the building closure. If no direction is provided, mail services will hold all mail and deliver on January 9 or when the building is reopened. For those carriers who are not aware of the temporary rerouting, a secure drop box will be located at the West entrance and checked multiple times daily by Document Solutions.
- If the building is returned to safe operation before January 9, stakeholders will receive email notification that it is safe to return with additional direct communication as much as possible with all points of contact
- Exterior tower lights will remain in operation.
Schedule:
December 13 – contractor mobilizes, building remains in use by occupants.
December 15 – all occupants remove any items needed during the shutdown and establish activities in temporary locations by end of the day.
December 16 – power is shut down and building is locked down until it is brought back to normal, safe operation. For emergencies, PM (Cedric Bouey ) will be able to coordinate access but this will be a last resort situation for true emergencies. Without power, the facility is not safe for occupants (elevators, fire alarms, etc).
January 2 – Contractor will re-energize the switchgear.
(We anticipate the need to troubleshoot shorts and other issues due to the age of the building’s electrical system.)
January 8 – all troubleshooting concludes and building is returned to normal BACS access by end of day.
January 9 – The Main Building will be open for normal business no later than this date, possibly sooner, depending on the troubleshooting requirements.
December 1, 2023 Update
Please find this revised summary table of relocation and mitigation efforts in support of the power outage at the Main Building from December 16 through January 9. A detailed schedule is also below. A few important notes:
- Requirement submissions: The project team& believes that we have contacted all affected tenants or their reps and received any mitigation requirements. If you are aware of anyone who has not contacted us or provided those requirements as indicated in the table, please have them contact Amanda Barber or Kim Barker immediately.
- Mail services – each department should contact mail services directly and provide direction on where to deliver December 16 – January 9. If no direction is provided, mail services will hold all mail and deliver on January 9 or when building is reopened.
- If the building is returned to safe operation before January 9, stakeholders will receive email notification that it is safe to return with additional direct communication as much as possible with all points of contact.
- Exterior tower lights will remain in operation.
- Highlighted sections in the table indicate some information remains to be finalized. We are actively engaged on these but please reach out to Kim Barker or Cedric Bouey if you have information that needs to be shared in these areas
Schedule:
December 13 – contractor mobilizes, building remains in use by occupants.
December 15 – all occupants remove necessary items and establish activities in temporary locations by end of the day.
December 16 – power is shut down and building locked down until it is brought back to normal, safe operation. For emergencies, PM (Cedric Bouey) will be able to coordinate access but this will be a last resort situation for true emergencies. Without power, the facility is not safe for occupants (elevators, fire alarms, etc).
January 2 – Contractor will re-energize the switchgear.
(The project team anticipates the need to troubleshoot shorts and other issues due to the age of the building’s electrical system.)
January 9 – The Main Building will be available no later than this date, possibly sooner, depending on the troubleshooting requirements.
November 29, 2023 Update
The power supply to the Main Tower will be shut off beginning December 16 through early January to replace one electrical switchgear, which protects and controls part of the power distribution systems in the Main Tower building (MAI). Full electrical functionality will be restored no later than January 9, though the building may be made safe to occupy sooner. The time frame depends upon resolving issues that we expect to arise following the initial system re-energization on January 2. Notification will be made to all stakeholders as soon as the issues are resolved. Please note the contractor will mobilize equipment on site beginning December 13, including a generator that will occupy 3 parking spaces on the north side of the building.
By close of business on December 15, all departments must relocate their operations or make whatever mitigations are necessary, assuming they will have no access to the Main Building before January 9. Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) team members are compiling all these requirements and mitigation plans. Once finalized, temporary signage will be created and posted so students, staff, and faculty can find the temporary locations.
When the power to this switchgear shuts off, the building will not be safe for any occupants and doors will be physically locked down beginning December 16. The electronic access system, elevators, HVAC, lighting and other systems will not function, and building access will only be possible for true emergency situations. If you or a member of your staff has an unavoidable requirement to access the building during the power outage, Cedric Bouey will be the point of contact for providing an escort. Your PDC team recognizes the inconvenience and disruption caused by this necessary repair, and we sincerely appreciate your patience and support.