Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Destruction continues, modern addition begins

http://cumberlink.com/news/local/work-begins-on-new-trickett-addition-renovation-continues/article_404a804b-22ce-5339-98a7-d503a08b972c.html


October 14, 2008 12:00 am  •  

Work continues on the Lewis Katz Hall addition to the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law campus in Carlisle.
Classroom walls and steel are being put into place and foundation poured for the new building, said Nancy Jean LaMont, assistant dean for administration.
She added that the $50 million project to renovate and expand the 89-year-old Trickett Hall is on target for completion by December 2009.
Planned in the area between Trickett Hall and the 1985 addition, Lewis Katz Hall will house three large classrooms, a courtyard, a commons area and a 200-seat courtroom/auditorium.
LaMont explained the three stages to the new construction. The current stage involves enclosing the building to protect it from the elements and includes piles, foundations, flooring, roofing and steelwork.
The second stage is the rough-in phase, which involves the placement of infrastructure, including plumbing, wiring and the installation of duct work and such mechanical equipment as boilers, chillers and air handlers, LaMont said.
The third stage is the finishes, which includes terrazzo flooring, carpeting and millwork, along with special wall finishes and acoustical ceilings, she said.
Demolition done
Crews have completed the demolition of the 1963 and 1978 additions to Trickett Hall along with “the curtilage,” a collection of small brick buildings on South College Street that used to serve as faculty offices.
Meanwhile, work crews are well into the rough-in stage with Trickett Hall and the 1985 addition. Earlier, they gutted the interior of Trickett down to its walls, removing the old paneling and fixtures.
LaMont explained how the integrity of Trickett Hall has been evaluated and necessary repair work completed, including jacking up and reinforcing a bowed truss in the attic.
Trickett Hall will be renovated to house the H. Laddie Montague Jr. Law Library and a legislative hearing room.
Prior to breaking ground in January, law school officials met with neighbors to brief them on the details of the project and give them a means to report concerns.
“To our knowledge, no calls have been received through the information line,” LaMont said. “Minor issues have been reported to the law school and been promptly addressed by the construction manager.”
LaMont said the issues include a truck cutting over a curb and construction work starting at 7 a.m., which is in compliance with borough ordinance.
The new buildings should be ready for occupancy by early December 2009. Penn State plans to use that month to complete the move from the former Advantica building on the Carlisle Pike in Middlesex Township to the expanded Carlisle campus, where classes would resume in January 2010.
Meanwhile, construction continues on the University Park campus of Dickinson School of Law, which should be completed by this December.