Last week, the temporary work platform around the Gundale Chapel was removed. The photos above and to the right now show how the suspended chapel soars over the Hagfors Center lobby.

Construction Site Work

Lobby ceiling. With the removal of the temporary platform around the suspended chapel, the 3-story lobby ceiling is now visible (see photo at right). Crews will install elm wood panels beneath the chapel this week.

Chapel window framing. Crews are also working to install aluminum window framing for the chapel. (See photo below.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electrical yard. Work continues on the north side of the construction site, where crews are nearing completion of the the screen fence for the electrical yard (see photo at right).

Skyway and rotunda. Crews will be installing metal panels underneath the skyway this week. Surveyors also will visit the site this week to survey the radius of the roundabout area at the intersection of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street.

Site work. Excavation for the storm water basin on the south side of the building resulted in several large piles of dirt on the construction site (see photo below) — some will be reused on the site, other piles will be recycled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fourth of July holiday. Construction crews will continue work during the week of July 3 – 7, except for the Independence Day holiday. There will be no construction update next week. The next update will be the week of July 10.

 

McGough Construction crews and HGA architects did an early morning shift last week–arriving on campus at 4:30 a.m., before dawn, to position the main ceiling lights in the lobby to illuminate the 2-story elm wood wall. The photos below show the warm glow of the lights from inside the lobby and outside the building, a glow that will be much appreciated during the short days of winter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Construction Site Work

Lobby ceiling. Last week, crews worked to install the lobby ceiling grid, tile, and lights and complete other work at the upper level of the lobby area (see photo at left). With the completion of this work, the temporary work platform around the suspended chapel will be removed this week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electrical yard. Work continues on the screen that will surround the electrical yard on the north side of the building. The photo at left shows a back hoe digging footings for additional posts for the screen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

North side stairs. Steps from the sidewalks on north and east sides have been poured. The photo at left shows crews working on the north stairs, along South 6th Street, last week. Digging also continues for the storm water basin on the south side of the building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interior work. Crews continue with mechanical, electrical, and sheetrock installation on all levels of the building and in the skyway. The photo at the left shows an interior view of the fourth-floor boiler room, which was substantially completed several weeks ago.

 

 

Construction Site Work

Interior

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  Elm wood wall. Crews continue installation this week of the elm wood panels on the two-story wood wall at the center of the lobby. (See photo above.)

• Lobby work. Electrical, mechanical, and sheetrock work continues in the lobby area of the building this week. Crews are also completing the work in the upper level of the lobby area, after which the temporary work platform around the suspended chapel (which was installed in early April) will be removed.
• Skyway. Work has begun on the skyway tie-in to Lindell Library, which includes installation of a glass curtainwall and door system. For now, the work is visible only from the skyway side (not from inside the library).
• Other interior work. Installation of electrical, mechanical and drywall is underway on all levels of the building (see photo of a corridor under construction, at right). Crews also are continuing lab casework installation on the second level, having completed this work in the basement and on the first floor.

Exterior

• Outdoor stairs. Steps from the sidewalks on north and east sides of the site will be poured this week, weather permitting. Site plans ensure that all sidewalk areas of the site also have accessible entrances and exits.

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  Electrical yard. Installation of the posts for the screen wall on the north side of the building is underway (see photo, at right). The wall will screen the electrical equipment on the site from view.

• Site work on the south side. Crews began digging the storm water basin on the south side of the building this week. The long-term plan is to extend this basin to the east, creating a greenway across 21st Avenue South and into the center of campus. That extension requires the demolition of the existing science building and would be part of a future construction project. Until then, the basin will be located within the Hagfors Center construction site boundaries.
• Color accent on the flexible classroom space. The color-accent fins — similar to those on the bump-out windows on the rest of the building — have been installed on the exterior of the flexible classroom space on the south side of the building.

Xcel Energy completed the final electricity connection to the Hagfors Center last week (see photo below), and the new gas meters have been installed (with gas connection expected in the next week or so). Meanwhile, construction work continues both inside the building and throughout the site — see below for this week’s updates.

Construction Site Work

• East side exterior seating. Work continues on the concrete walkways connecting the circular seating areas on the east side of the building (see photo below, at left). Weather permitting, the sidewalk along 21st Avenue South also will be poured this week.
• West side site work. Grading and preparations for concrete work are underway on the west side of the building. Bases for the light poles that will be installed in this area are also in place. (See photo below, at right.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Interior. Drywall installation continues on the first level of the building. In the photo below, at left, Norm (far left) and Vangie (second from right) Hagfors stand in the Religion Department home with HGA Architect Bill Blanski (second from left), and President Paul Pribbenow (far right).
• Skyway. Work is underway on the mechanical, electrical, and drywall installation for the skyway’s recessed soffits (see photo below, at right).

 

 

 

Crews have completed installation of the window fin extensions that add accent colors to the exterior of the Hagfors Center. The photo below shows several of those windows, as well as the perfect blending of the precast brick with the handset brick on the flexible classroom.

Construction Site Work

• Elm wood wall. Preparations are underway for the two-story elm wood wall in the lobby area. The elm wood extends to the ceiling, marking the area of Gundale Chapel floor. Elm wood panels will be attached to the metal strips, shown in the top right photo.
• Skyway. With the glass installation complete crews have begun roughing in the mechanical and electrical ceiling work this week.
• Basement staircase. The final staircase — located just north of the lobby and running from the basement to the first floor — is being installed this week.
• Lab flooring. Crews have begun installation of rubber flooring in the labs on first floor this week.

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  Exterior seating. Now that the circular seating areas on the east side of the building have been poured, crews are working on pouring the circular concrete areas and sidewalks that connect them together. This work also includes pouring the sidewalk along 21st Avenue South and is contingent on weather. See photo at right.

• Cable installation. Many yards of network cabling are being installed as crews continue to sheetrock, tape, sand, and paint interior spaces. See photo, lower left.
• Louvers for mechanical area. Installation of the louvers on the exterior wall of the rooftop mechanical area is wrapping up this week. The louvers allow for ventilation while screening the mechanical equipment from view. See photo, lower right.

It’s the final week of the academic year at Augsburg College, with many celebrations marking the accomplishments of the year — culminating in the commencement ceremonies on Saturday, April 29, one-year anniversary of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hagfors Center.

Street closure begins next week. A reminder that 21st Avenue South will be closed between South 6th and South 8th streets beginning next week and lasting throughout the summer. McGough Construction has received the permit from the City of Minneapolis for this closure, which is required in order to complete work on the skyway and the intersection of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street.

Pedestrians will continue to be able to cross 21st Avenue South to access Anderson and Luther residence halls to the south of the construction site; and vehicles will continue to have access to South 8th Street and the parking lots south of it. Vehicles and pedestrians will also continue to be able to use the north end of 21st Avenue South to access Riverside Avenue, South 6th Street, the driveway adjacent to Oren Gateway Center, and the private home south of Oren.

See below for additional updates on this week’s construction work.

Construction Site Work

 

Green house. The fans and sunscreen shades have been installed in the rooftop greenhouse (see photo, at left). The remaining work in this area — installation of lights, tables, and the epoxy floor — will be completed during the summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skyway. Crews will begin installing insulation and the final roofing for the skyway this week. The photo at left shows insulation materials stacked on top of the skyway, ready for installation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Front entrance. The hand laid brick has been completed on the front entrance. See photo at left for a view of the entrance from inside the building.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Electrical yard. Excavation and installation of the pier footings is underway in the electrical yard, on the north side of the building (see photo, at left). The electrical yard is where the main Xcel Energy power feed comes into the building and where the emergency generator will be located.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lobby interior. The backer panel has been installed for the two-story elm wall that will be featured in the lobby. See photo at left to get a sense for how the lobby will feel when the elm wall is installed.

 

 

 

Construction Update

It’s the last week of classes before finals and commencement, which is Saturday, April 29 — the one-year anniversary of the groundbreaking ceremony for the Hagfors Center. Following are updates on the scheduled construction work for the site:

• Street closure beginning May 1. Beginning Monday, May 1, 21st Avenue South is scheduled to be closed to pedestrian and street traffic between South 6th and South 8th streets. The closure, which is required to complete work on the skyway and the intersection of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street, is expected to last through the summer. The timing of the closure was scheduled to begin after the completion of the spring semester to minimize the impact on the campus. Pedestrians will continue to be able to cross 21st Avenue South to access Anderson and Luther residence halls to the south of the construction site; and vehicles will continue to have access to South 8th Street and the parking lots south of it. Vehicles and pedestrians will also continue to be able to use the north end of 21st Avenue South to access Riverside Avenue, South 6th Street, the driveway adjacent to Oren Gateway Center, and the private home south of Oren. McGough Construction is working with the City of Minneapolis and Augsburg College to finalize the plans. Further updates will be provided in these weekly postings.

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  Framing of the interior lobby wall. Work has begun on the framing for the two-story elm wall that will be featured in the lobby. The picture at the right shows the progress as of this past Friday, April 14.

• Exterior glass. Installation of the exterior glass is substantially complete (see panoramic photo of the south side of the building, above). Ongoing exterior work involves application of sealants on both the interior and exterior sides of the glass.
• Green roof. The waterproofing work on the green roof above the flexible classroom space is substantially complete. Crews are now conducting flood and other testing to verify that there are no leaks.

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  Window accent color. Crews are preparing to begin installation of the accent-colored exterior fins on the bump-out windows. These fins extend out from the existing window mullions and increase the impact of the accent colors on the building.

• Electrical yard. Site work has begun on the electrical yard north of the building. Excavation and installation of pier footings for the enclosure are underway. All of this work will be conducted inside the construction fence.
• Interior work. Installation work continues on the two elevators and the casework for the labs. See the photo below of the progress on casework installation in one of the basement labs.

Construction Site Work:

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  Lobby exterior. The glass panels on the Hagfors Center lobby and flexible classroom are all in place (see photo above), but work will continue for several weeks to fully complete the installation of the exterior of these spaces.

• Green roof. Installation continues of the waterproofing for the green roof on top of the flexible classroom. (See photo at right.)
• Community garden. An additional temporary fence has been installed in the community garden to mark wither grading work will need to take place this summer. The additional fence will help gardeners plant in areas this spring that will not be affected by grading activities during the growing season.
• Window accent colors. Work continues this week on the color panels and the flashing on the bump out windows of the Hagfors Center. (See the photo above for a glimpse of the accent colors visible above the skyway.)
• Skyway ramps. The concrete for the ramp inside the west entrance of the skyway will be completed this week, along with a smaller pour on the east end of the skyway.
• Upper level lobby work. Crews are installing sprinkler pipes and lights in the upper level of the lobby, using the temporary work platform scaffolding referenced in previous weeks’ posts.

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  Interior work. Tile and ceiling grid installation continues in the basement and on the first level of the north wing. Sheetrocking is underway on the second level of the north wing; electrical and mechanical work continues on levels three and four.

• Lab casework. Installation has begun on some of the lab casework. The photo at right shows the casework in a basement lab in the process of being installed.
• Elevators. Installation is in progress on the hydraulic elevator in the north wing of the building and the main lobby elevator. See the photos below of this installation work in progress.
• Street closure beginning May 1. McGough Construction is working with Augsburg College and the City of Minneapolis to confirm plans for closing 21st Avenue South between South 6th and South 8th streets for the summer. The closure is scheduled to begin immediately after commencement weekend and is expected to reopen before classes resume in September.

Site preparation on the Hagfors Center construction site began one year ago — in April 2016. Today, as Augsburg heads into the final month of the spring 2017 semester, construction continues on both the exterior and interior of the building.

Construction Site Work

Exterior

• Back entrance. With the tower crane removed, work on the back entrance — near the community gardens — is underway. (See photo at right.)
• Window accent colors. This week, crews will begin installing the metal panels on the sides of the bump-outs on the Hagfors Center, providing an initial image of the accent colors on the building.
• Main entrance. The hand-set brick work is in progress at the main entrance.
• Green roof. Work has started on the waterproofing for the green roof that will be on top of the flexible classroom
• Fourth-floor exterior. Installation of the metal panels and louvers is underway on the fourth-floor exterior walls.
• Temporary fencing in community garden. Crews will begin installing an additional temporary fence in community garden area this week, marking where grading work will need to take place this summer. The grading work will affect several plots on the edge of the community garden. Campus Kitchen staff have met with McGough Construction about planned construction site work and will be coordinating with gardeners for the 2017 growing season.

Interior

• Scaffolding in lobby area. Crews have installed scaffolding to create a temporary work platform in the upper level of the lobby (see photo at right). The work platform will enable work at the upper level of the lobby area. It is expected to be in place for one to two months.
• North elevator. Installation of the hydraulic elevator at the north end of the building is in progress.
• Tile work. Tile work is progressing in the basement and first-floor bathrooms and shower areas.
• Lights and electrical conduit. The picture below, at left, shows the current status of the ceiling in a typical lab in the basement level, with lighting installed and conduit in place to support lab-station power needs.
• Basement mechanical room. The basement mechanical room (temporarily being used as a lunch room for construction crew members) is shown in the picture below at right.

 

Construction Site Work:

• Tower crane demobilization. Last week, the tower crane was removed from the Hagfors Center construction site, as it is not required for the remainder of the construction project. The tower crane had been on the site since May 2016.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Curtainwall framing. The final structural connections for the main lobby curtainwall framing will be completed this week (see photo at left). A majority of the

  

  glass installation on the lobby curtainwall will also be finished by the end of the week. Crews have begun installation of the exterior framing for the flexible classroom,as well. With the curtainwall framing in this area anticipated to be complete by the end of the week, the curtainwall framing for the entire building will be substantially complete. The only remaining curtainwall area is where the skip hoist is currently located on the north end of the building.

• Hand-laid brick. Work is in progress on the hand-laid brick for the main entrance of the Hagfors Center.
• Fourth-floor exterior. Installation of the metal louvers on the fourth-floor exterior walls is in progress this week.
• North elevator. Installation work continues on the elevator at the north end of the building.

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  Scaffolding in lobby area. Crews are installing temporary scaffolding on the third level of the lobby area — around the suspended chapel (see photo at right) — to support interior work in the upper area of the 3-story lobby.

• Interior work. Tile work has begun in the bathrooms, and installation of lights and electrical switches has begun in the basement level of the building.