April 28, 2010
SCIENCE BUILDING ADDITION AWARDED

On Wednesday evening, April 28, 2010, the Downtown Denver Partnership recognized the Auraria Campus with a Downtown Denver Award honoring the Science Building Addition. 

The black-tie affair honored six projects that have made a positive impact on the downtown Denver environment.  The awards ceremony was attended by 800 people and included a video presentation featuring Barbara Weiske, Executive Vice President for Administration with AHEC, along with CCD President, Dr. Karén Bleeker; Metro State President, Dr. Steve Jordan; and UC Denver Chancellor, Dr. M. Roy Wilson. 

To read the Downtown Denver Partnership article and view the video presentation click on the link below:

Auraria Science Building Honored

November 5, 2009
SCIENCE BUILDING FENCES COME DOWN

Work on the Science Building Addition is nearing completion. A portion of the first floor opened on November 2, 2009, with the occupation of four Community College of Denver labs.  The project started construction in December 2007, and includes the addition as well as renovation of the existing Science Building.  Fences that had blocked off the building were removed at the end of October.

The first floor of the addition consists of shared general classrooms, CCD and Metro State lab space, a student lounge/coffee bar and a conference room.

Work continues on the upper floors of the addition. The full building is expected to be open for the Spring Semester in January 2010.

Renovation of the existing building, as well as spaces being vacated in North and South Classroom buildings will be underway soon. Work in South Classroom Building started on October 30, 2009, and will be completed by January 10, 2010.  Renovation of existing Science Building begins on December 21, 2009 and will be completed in November 2010.

March 24, 2009
MATERIALS TESTING IN SCIENCE BUILDING - Friday, March 27, 2009

Consultants for the Auraria Science Building Project will be conducting materials testing in the existing Science Building as well as the areas being remodeled in North Classroom and South Classroom on Friday, March 27th.  A couple individuals will be surveying materials and may coordinate with users if access is needed to specific areas.  Areas affected during this testing are:

Thank you for your cooperation! If you have any questions, please contact Mike Turman, Asst. Project Manager at 303-556-2394 or by email at mike.turman@jacobs.com.

March 23, 2009
SEWER LINE WORK AT SCIENCE BUILDING - March 27 - APRIL 6, 2009

A portion of 11th Street between the Lawrence Street Walkway & Existing Science Building will be closed March 27th-April 6th for sanitary sewer line work for the Science Building Addition.  During this time, there will be absolutely no traffic  -pedestrian or vehicular - through 11th Street at the Lawrence Walkway.  For pedestrians, it is suggested to use the sidewalks west of the closure at 11th. Please coordinate with any scheduled deliveries and emergency response vehicles to use an alternate route. 

Please click here (MAP) for clarification on areas affected by the activities.

Thank you for your cooperation! If you have any questions, please contact Mike Turman, Asst. Project Manager at 303-556-2394 or by email at mike.turman@jacobs.com.

March 17, 2009
GAS LINE WORK FOR THE SCIENCE BUILDING PROJECT - March 20-27, 2009

Xcel Energy will be doing gas line work for the Science Building Project at the intersection of 11th Street and the Lawrence Street Pedestrian Walkway beginning this Friday, March 20th, and continuing through the week of Spring Break (March 23-27).  All gas supplied to the existing Science Building will be suspended during the week of Spring break. 

During the week of Spring break, all handicap parking spaces in front of the Auraria Media Center (west side of 11th Street ) and the handicap parking spaces located in front of the chiller plant, north of the Science Building (east side of 11th Street) will be unavailable for use.  These parking spaces will be blocked off with construction cones and/or signage in the afternoon on Friday, March 20.  The remaining parking spaces at the Science Building will remain available for use.

On Monday, March 23rd, contractors will set up equipment on the Lawrence Street Walkway, restricting but not eliminating pedestrian traffic along the walkway.  Pedestrians should use caution and stay aware of construction activities while in that vicinity.  Xcel will set up temporary barricades to direct pedestrian traffic.

The loading dock for the Auraria Media Center will be unavailable on Monday, March 23rd and Tuesday, March 24th.  The loading dock will be available again on Wednesday, March 25th.

On Tuesday, March 24th and Wednesday, March 25th, work will continue on 11th Street and will travel up the pedestrian sidewalk along the north side of the Science Building.  Pedestrian traffic along this sidewalk will be unavailable.

Xcel will complete all cleanup, sidewalk and roadway patches on Thursday and Friday, March 26th and 27th.

Please click here (MAP) for clarification on areas affected by the construction activities.

Thank you for your cooperation.

If you have any questions regarding this project, please contact Mike Turman, Asst. Project Manager, at 303-556-2394 or by email at mike.turman@jacobs.com.

November 21, 2008
Auraria Campus Science Building Temporary Door Closure

Science Building construction activities planned for the week of November 22 – 30, 2008 require temporary closure of the exterior doors at the southeast corner of the building.  The work includes trenching for electrical conduits and pouring a concrete pad for the emergency generator.  This work will take place just outside the building near the southeast doors.  One set of doors will be reopened to pedestrian access and egress no later than early morning on December 1, 2008. Signage within the building and within the stairwell at the southeast corner of the building will direct the public to use one of three other exterior doors – the north entrance, the southwest entrance or the northwest entrance. If you have any questions, please contact Mike Turman at 303-556-2394 or mike.turman@jacobs.com.

November 11, 2008
Science Building water to be shut off - 11/24

Auraria Facilities Management needs to shut off and drain the domestic water in the Science Building on Monday, November 24 from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm.  This shutdown will affect both hot and cold domestic water and is being done to repair a hot water leak.  If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Tom Johnson, Plumbing Supervisor at 303-556-4416. 

October 21, 2008
Auraria Science Building construction intersection closure update - Oct. 23 - 26

The contractors of the Auraria Campus Science Building construction site will be shutting down a section of 11th Street near the Lawrence Street intersection beginning on Thursday, October 23rd through Sunday, October 26th. Pedestrian and cart traffic will be re-routed around the closure with alternate route signage posted.  Vehicle traffic will be prohibited at the Lawrence and 11th Street intersection during this time.  Thank you for your cooperation! If you have any questions, please contact Mike Turman, Asst. Project Manager at 303-556-2394 or by email at mike.turman@jacobs.com.

August 8, 2008
Asbestos Soils Abatement northeast of
North Classroom Building from August 11-22, 2008

As part of the Auraria Science Building Project, Facilities Management and the construction team have scheduled the soils asbestos abatement for the new water detention pond #2 (area between the North Classroom Building and Speer Blvd.) to begin Monday, August 11 and to be completed Friday, August 22, 2008.  The asbestos abatement will occur from 3:00 PM to midnight each night. 

The soils containing asbestos building materials will be removed following Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulations and guidelines.  The removal of the soil will be conducted in a manner that will not allow for the asbestos fibers to become air-born.  The immediate area around the excavation will be monitored daily per Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulations.  As a precaution and to help keep the North Classroom Building clean, the users on the East side of the North Classroom Building are asked to keep their windows closed during this time to prevent dust from entering the building.  Signs will be posted around the east side of the North Classroom Building to help notify the campus community of this request. 

If you have any questions, please contact Mike Turman, Assistant Project Manager at 303-556-2394 or David Krajicek, AHEC Environmental Health and Safety Manager at 303.556.8397.

July 28, 2008

The construction fencing on the east side of the North Classroom Building will remain in place until early September.  This area includes the closure of the sidewalk along Lawrence St. between Speer Blvd. and the North Classroom Building. Detour signage is posted to direct pedestrians entering and leaving the campus at Speer and Lawrence Streets. Questions should be directed to Joyce Carnes, Project Manager at 303-556-8076.

May 30, 2008

Beginning June 2, 2008, a section of the pedestrian walkway between the North Classroom Building and Speer Blvd. will be temporarily closed to complete the second half of the storm line installation and excavation of the retention pond that will be east of the North Classroom Building.  The closure includes all diagonal sidewalks from Larimer Street and Speer Blvd. to the North Classroom Building and access from the Lawrence street mall to Speer Blvd.

Detour Route: Pedestrian travel must detour to the north, directly east of the North Classroom Building and then back west under the bridge section of the North Classroom Building to the existing pedestrian crosswalk at Larimer Street.  Pedestrians wishing to cross Speer Blvd. into downtown will have to cross at Speer Blvd. and Larimer Street or at Speer Blvd. and Arapahoe Street.  The map below details the construction area and a travel route (outlined in red) showing the detour that is accessible to all pedestrians.

The sidewalks will re-open for access no later than June 30, 2008.

Thank you for your patience and assistance during this construction phase.

Please contact Mike Turman, Assistant Project Manager at 303-556-2394, if you have any questions or concerns.

May 14, 2008
Auraria Campus Science Building Construction Update –Please Post!

A section of the pedestrian walkway between the North Classroom Building and Speer Blvd. will be temporary closed beginning, May 19 – May 30 while a critical IT telecom duct and storm sewer line are installed for the new Science Building. Construction fencing and signage will direct pedestrians to a walkway on the northeast side of the North Classroom Building towards Larimer Street.  Pedestrians wishing to cross Speer Blvd. into downtown will need to cross at Speer and Larimer Street or at Speer and Arapahoe Street. Thank you for your patience during this construction phase.  Please contact Mike Turman, Project Manager at 303-556-2394 if you have any questions.

April 24, 2008

A construction crane is being delivered to the Science Building site on Saturday, April 26.  The crane will travel down 11th Street from the south to the north side via trucks and then will remain on site for approximately 20 months. This crane will be located within the Science Building construction site enclosure.  If you have any questions, please contact Mike Turman at 303-556-2394.

March 28, 2008

Following many phone calls and a March 24th press conference that included Dean Wolf, Executive Vice President for Administration of the Auraria Campus; Nancy McCallin, president of the Community College System; Dr. Stephen Jordan, President of Metro State; Bruce Benson, President of the University of Colorado System; Dr. M. Roy Wilson, Chancellor of the University of Colorado Denver; and Tami Door, head of the Downtown Denver Partnership, the state announced a solution to the funding issues for the Science Building and other higher education projects. 

The state will use federal mineral lease revenues to issue up to $150 million worth of certificates of participation (COPs), a form of debt, to underwrite capital spending for higher education.  The first recipient of these funds will be the Auraria Science Building for approximately $63 million.  In order to make this possible, the Colorado Legislature will have to approve two bills, which are expected to be introduced soon.  See the attached Rocky Mountain News article from March 26th, explaining the recent events.

This is great news for the campus and should allow the addition to open on time in the fall of 2009, followed by the renovated Science Building opening in the fall of 2010.

Thank you to all who contacted the legislature and helped us secure the funding!

Funding Update – March 24, 2008

The state received an updated revenue forecast on Thursday March 20th, which reduced the amount available for capital construction projects in the state fiscal year that begins July 1, 2008. The Auraria Science Building request of $37.5 million (already reduced from the original $50 million recommendation) was cut to $0. Other projects, including higher education, human services and corrections projects, were taken out of priority order.

The current science building presents health and safety hazards because of overcrowding and outdated HVAC systems. Two labs have had to be closed due to dangerous levels of chemical fumes and inadequate ventilation.

Auraria has already begun construction of the Science Building, based on an appropriation from the state last year. If state funding doesn’t come through this year, the project is placed in serious jeopardy and will – at a minimum - result in very costly delays.

The Auraria Science Building supports the training of future science and technology workers. The new science building, with students from all three institutions, will educate more future scientists of color than any other location in the state and support the state’s economic development.

The campus has prepared a fact sheet (weblink: Fact Sheet) with general information on the project and how it will help the Auraria Campus.

A press conference and media tour of the existing science building was held on the campus on Monday morning, March 24th to rally the state to fund this important project.  Click here to read an article from Saturday’s Rocky Mountain News on the loss of funding (weblink: RMN March 21, 2008).

March 18, 2008

Scheduled Science Building Addition and Renovations Project Power Outage

The contractors working on the Auraria Science Building Addition will be completing a fiber optic duct bank installation and temporary construction power installation outside of the North East entrance of the Science Building over spring break.  Please use an alternate entrance and exit for normal access to the building.  In case of an emergency, the North East entrance / exit can be used.  The contractors will be placing signage around the North East exit to guide building users and occupants to alternate exits.  The temporary construction power installation will require a complete power outage at the Science Building on Saturday, March 29 from 6:00am to 8:00am.  All computers, copiers and/or any other sensitive equipment should be turned off prior to the power outage.  All experiments or other items contained within Freezers or Refrigerators that cannot with stand a two hour power outage should be coordinated with the appropriate institutional planner Metro State-Sean Nesbitt (303) 556-5712 or UC Denver-Cary Weatherford (303) 724-0262 or the Assistant Project Manager listed at the end of this correspondence.  If you have any questions, please call Mike Turman, Assistant Project Manager at (303) 556-2394.

March 11, 2008

In preparation for the existing Science Building renovation, Facilities Management has scheduled an asbestos investigation and survey within the Science Building beginning Monday, March 24 through Wednesday, March 26. The survey will consist of several individuals observing all building materials and testing any suspected materials for asbestos.  The suspect materials will be collected and tested following Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment regulations and industry standards.  The collection of suspect asbestos containing materials within the building will not cause any asbestos releases and therefore it is acceptable for staff to be in the building during the asbestos survey.  If you have any questions, please contact Joyce Carnes, Project Manager at 303-556-8076 or Mike Turman, Assistant Project Manager at 303-556-2394.