Facilities Management reaches summer construction project goals

Auburn University’s Facilities Management Department recently completed a number of construction, renovation and repair projects critical for the beginning of the new school year and the fall athletics’ season.

Facilities Management typically manages more than 300 campus construction-related projects at any given time. Each year, the department analyzes all of its projects to determine which must be completed during the summer break. It then creates a “summer critical” list.

“Our goal is to meet our clients construction, renovation and repair needs while minimizing the impact on Auburn University students, faculty and staff,” said Dan King, associate vice president of Facilities Management. “The summer is a great time to get much of this work done, since the campus is less populated. This summer’s list was one of our largest. We completed all critical elements of each project prior to the beginning of fall semester and before the first home football game. I am proud of the work put forth by the Facilities staff in collaborating with our contractors to ensure timely completion of each project.”

A few of the summer’s notable projects include:

• A complete renovation of the first floor of Mary Martin Hall for the new Exploratory Advising Center. The center, which opened on the first day of fall semester, provides academic advising and career counseling for freshmen in the exploratory major and upperclassmen referred to the center, in addition to coordinating campus wide retention efforts.
• Construction of the 14-foot-wide Samford Park walkway began Phase II of the Samford Park Redevelopment Project. Phase I of the project finalized in February with the planting of the two Auburn Oaks at Toomer’s Corner. The project also included the removal of sidewalks to increase greenspace in this popular area of campus.
• The much-anticipated Jordan-Hare Stadium video board was complete the first week of September and made its debut during Auburn’s first home football game on Sept. 12. This construction project included the new 190-foot by 57-foot video display, a new sound cabinet and video ribbon boards across the upper deck façade.

Facilities Management is also on track to complete several other major campus construction projects in October including:

• Renovation of the existing Scott-Yarbrough House at Pebble Hill and construction of a new facility to house meeting spaces, offices and support areas for the College of Liberal Arts
• Installation of new windows and brick veneer for Dudley Hall and Commons
• Repairs to the foundation of Cater Hall and installation of new windows and siding
• Roof replacement and minor exterior repairs on Samford Hall
• Construction of Facilities Building 8 at the Facilities Management Complex, which will house the Mail Services, Waste Reduction and Recycling, and Service Support departments

Visit the Facilities Management website and click through the September Board of Trustee’s Construction Update for more information and photos for each of the projects noted in this story.