An active seasonal construction schedule at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln is expected to have minimal impact on campus traffic.
“We have a large quantity of work, from ongoing construction of new buildings to miscellaneous office projects, planned for both Nebraska campuses during the summer months,” said Brooke Hay, assistant director of Facilities Planning and Construction. “However, most of these projects will not have any greater impact on the campus community than they did during the spring semester.”
Many of the university’s large construction projects are expected to see major progress during the warm summer months. Those builds include the $84 million College of Business Administration building and a $33 million dining hall on City Campus, as well as the $44.7 million veterinary diagnostic center and $37.5 million residence hall on East Campus.
The footprint of the CBA project, located on the southeast corner of 14th and Vine streets, expanded to the east at the end of the spring semester. Walking paths in the area have shifted to accommodate the change. The project will also continue to use one lane on Vine Street.
The new CBA building will be a 240,000-square-foot structure and replaces the college’s 100-year-old building near 12th and R streets. It will provide space for 5,000 business students and offer expanded student services, such as career counseling and tutoring.
The new CBA building is scheduled to open for the 2017-2018 academic year.
Also this summer, the university will extend utilities to the 17th Street dining complex and a $41.5 million building that will be home to a new UNL student health center and the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Nursing’s Lincoln division.
The utility project is not expected to cause issued with vehicle or foot traffic on campus. Dan Carpenter, director of parking and transit services, said the work would affect parking in the residence hall lot immediately west of the Beadle Center.
Construction of the health center/UNMC nursing building has not yet started. The building will be located in the parking lot immediately south of the Beadle Center greenhouses, between 19th Street and Antelope Valley Parkway.
Hay said East Campus construction of the residence hall and veterinary diagnostics center will continue but will not expand onto nearby streets or sidewalks during the summer.
Recently completed projects include the lighting of the south façade/cupola on Love Library and annual maintenance performed on campus steam distribution systems.
“Summer is a time when student traffic slows down a bit and that is an opportunity to make some real progress on campus construction projects,” Hay said. “It’s an exciting time as we prepare for the start of the fall semester.”
Other seasonal construction projects to be aware of this summer include:
Behlen Laboratory of Physics — Hay said the $7 million renovation of Behlen will continue toward a fall 2016 completion date. The project will convert the three-story structure into a modern, versatile research hub. The project will completely redesign the interior and exterior of the building. This summer, the project will continue to affect faculty/staff parking and sidewalk traffic along the south end of Stadium Drive. Hay said the elevator in the link between Behlen and Brace Hall is being renovated this summer.
Concrete replacement — A three-year project to repair campus sidewalks will close out this summer. Hay said the majority of the work was completed in the last two years, with only small, miscellaneous projects remaining on both City and East campuses.
Nebraska Union — A number of projects will take place in and around the Nebraska Union this summer. On the Nebraska Union Plaza (north side of the building) deteriorating concrete will be replaced, a sound system is being installed and lights/electrical in Broyhill Fountain is being upgraded. The original south façade of the building is also being updated via a cleaning, removal of overgrown greenery, new concrete and the addition of seating. Projects inside the Nebraska Union include completion of a new Big Ten Conference meeting room in the southeast corner of the building (former home to a bank).
