Editor’s Note: The following actions were taken by the regents at their March meeting
By Diane Brown
Facilities and Operations
Pierpont Commons renovation moves forward
The regents authorized staff to issue the previously approved Pierpont Commons renovation project for bids and to award a construction contract providing the bids are within budget. At the Feb. 2001 meeting, regents approved the renovation design by Albert Kahn Associates. The $3.2-million project is intended to improve circulation between the ground and first floors, provide for late night food options, add seating and gathering spaces, and combine student service functions. The yearlong construction effort is scheduled to begin this summer.
IST High Bay Building to be named after Gerstacker
The Institute of Science and Technology High Bay Building and its soon-to-be-completed addition will be named the Carl and Esther Gerstacker Building. The College of Engineering requested the designation to recognize the accomplishments of the couple and a gift of $5 million from the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation to partially fund the laboratory addition that is scheduled to be completed this spring.
Carl Gerstacker earned a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from U-M in 1938. He was awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree in 1993. During his 44-year career with the Dow Chemical Company, including 16 years as chairman, he oversaw the company’s growth from a regional entity into a multinational corporation. He died in 1995. Esther Gerstacker was instrumental in creating the Midland Area Community Foundation, and currently serves as vice president of the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation.
Communications network to be enhanced
Two new underground cable routes will be created between North Campus and the Arbor Lakes Data Center on East Campus to increase capacity and improve telephone and computer network reliability and security. Currently, telephone service to Arbor Lakes and computer-related services to main campus are provided through aboveground cables. As such, they are subject to damage from ice storms, wind storms, trees, rodents, auto accidents and vandalism.
All work, which is scheduled May through January, will be performed in University and city rights-of-way, external to buildings. One route will be placed on the west side of Hubbard Road at the intersection with Huron Parkway to Arbor Lakes. The other route, which also will provide alternate routing for the network backbone service, will connect the Cooley Building with Arbor Lakes.
The project is estimated to cost $1.7 million from the ITCom capital fund and will be designed by Plant Extension-Architecture, Engineering and Construction.
Site prep work approved for CT scanners
A radiology film interpretation reading room for abdominal studies will be relocated within the U-M Hospital Radiology Department in order to make room for a new computer tomography (CT) scanner. Additionally, three existing scanners will be upgraded.
The demand for CT services increased 46 percent in the past four years. Site preparation costs for the scanners and the relocation expenses for the reading room are estimated to be $1.4 million, which will be funded from the Hospitals and Health Centers’ capital fund. The renovations are expected to be completed this fall.
Law Library to expand
When the Smith Library addition to the Cook Legal Research Library was completed in 1981, portions of interior space were left unfinished to allow for future growth. Regents approved a $1.5 million project to finish 4,800 square feet on level sub-3. The project will include new mechanical and electrical systems as well as interior design to match the quality of the nearby finished space. In order to accommodate the growth in the library’s collections, the project will incorporate the use of compact shelving systems for maximum storage efficiency. DiClemente Siegel Design, which was involved in the design of the original structure, was approved to design this project. Construction is scheduled January through fall of 2003.
East Quad roof to be replaced
The 27,000-square-foot roof on East Quadrangle will be replaced this summer. Several layers of roofing, some dating back to 1938, will be removed. The roof deck will be repaired as needed and new insulation, roof membrane, exhaust fans, structural supports and ductwork will be installed.
The Residence Operations’ equity fund will provide the $650,000 estimated costs.
