Construction Project Updates

Roofs, generators, drywall, and seating… Yet another week of progress was made on schedule and under budget thanks to the hard and thoughtful work of our crews and contractors. Read more about last week’s accomplishments and this week’s plans:

Construction Site Work

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  Closure of 21st Avenue South; restricted parking in Lot A. In order to accommodate the next phase of construction, a portion of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street are now closed to pedestrian and street traffic through the summer. Pedestrians are still able to cross 21st Avenue South to access Anderson and Luther residence halls to the south of the construction site; and vehicles can still access South 8th Street and the parking lots south of it. Vehicles and pedestrians are 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. Augsburg also has designated Lot A as construction-related parking only. Special permits are required to park in that lot.

• Drywall delivery. The classrooms, hallways, meeting rooms, and more are coming together as the crews continue to drywall the interior. The crane (pictured, right) is transporting sheets of drywall to the second level as members of the crew wait to receive and install. 
• Generator set. Prep work on the generator set continues this week. Weather permitting, the Hagfors Center will have permanent power by the end of the month.

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  Site work. Progress on the concrete seating continues this week. The crews are completing the pour with a (grey) colored concrete that will shape the benches. Prep work for the sidewalks along 21st Avenue will also begin weather permitting (photo, right).

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  Precast finished. A milestone was reached as the last precast panel was set last week finishing the exterior facade (photo, bottom right) .

• Skyway. Spray foam was installed under the skyway last week. The installation of bird-safe glass walls and final framing along the sides of the skyway will be completed this week.
• Roof. Metal panels around the curtain wall (glass wall of the chapel) and the perimeter of the roof are being installed (photo, bottom left).
• Site utility work. The city will be connecting and installing water mains along the west side of the site, along 20th Avenue South.

  

New sidewalks, new seating, a new roundabout, and sunny skies. The work being done this week around Hagfors will offer a more concrete vision (literally and figuratively) of the new, emerging landscape for campus pedestrians.

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

Construction Site Work

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  Closure of 21st Avenue South; restricted parking in Lot A. In order to accommodate the next phase of construction, a portion of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street are now closed to pedestrian and street traffic through the summer. Pedestrians are still able to cross 21st Avenue South to access Anderson and Luther residence halls to the south of the construction site; and vehicles can still access South 8th Street and the parking lots south of it. Vehicles and pedestrians are 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. Augsburg also has designated Lot A as construction-related parking only. Special permits are required to park in that lot.

• The roundabout. Site work for what will be the roundabout at the intersection of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street — just outside the main entrance to the building — is underway. Crews are removing sidewalks and starting excavation to prepare for this work (see photo).
• Outdoor seating. Concrete pours for seating areas along the east side of the building (21st Avenue South) are scheduled this week.
• Skyway. Final framing and for the exterior glass will be completed on the skyway walls, as framing and insulation for the underside of the skyway begin (see photo).
• Skip hoist. The skip hoist on the north end of the building has been removed, crews will begin installing the precast brick panels where the skip hoist used to be. A mobile crane has been erected on site for this work (see photo).
• Emergency generator pad. Crews will begin to pour concrete for the emergency generator pad in the electrical yard on the north side of the building.
• Rooftop. Installation of the louvers on the screen wall for the rooftop mechanical area is underway this week The louvers allow for air circulation to the the mechanical area while hiding the mechanical equipment from view.
• Grow rooms. Some of the equipment has arrived for two of the biology “grow rooms” (see photo).
• Freight elevator. The freight elevator at the north end of the building has passed inspection and is now operational (see photo from last week).Going forward, crews will use this elevator, instead of the external skip hoist, to move equipment and materials to upper floors.

Last week was an exciting one at Augsburg! With events ranging from commencement and baccalaureate to moving-out, there was no shortage of busy activity. And, while students were lifting and loading their belongings out of the dorms, the lifting and loading continued at Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

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  Closure of 21st Avenue South; restricted parking in Lot A. In order to accommodate the next phase of construction, a portion of 21st Avenue South and South 7th Street are now closed to pedestrian and street traffic through the summer. 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. Augsburg also has designated Lot A as construction-related parking only. Special permits are required to park in that lot.

• Skyway. Skyway construction reached a milestone last week as crews finished the insulation and final roofing.

  

  Crews also began installing the framing for the skyway glass and will begin framing for the metal panels on the underside this week. See photos at right.

• Window fins. Noticeable progress has been made on the exterior, as crews have begun installing the colorful

  

  fins on the bump-outs framing the windows, adding a splash of color to the building.

• A bath for the building. Work on the walkways surrounding the building will be underway soon, so crews took this last opportunity to bring heavy equipment and vehicles near the building to give it a quick wash (see photo at right).
• Skip hoist removal. The skip hoist on the north side of the building is scheduled to be removed this week. Exterior finishes in that area will be installed following removal of the skip hoist.
• Hagfors Center coffee shop. Though not immediately apparent from the picture to the right, a new header and framing now provide the basic structure to continue working on the coffee shop that will be located near the skyway entrance on the second level.
• Interior. Laboratory casework is being installed on first level, and painting is underway on both the first and second floors.

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.

The glass fritting being installed on the 3-story lobby curtainwall is the first of the more than two dozen sponsored art projects in the Hagfors Center. To learn more about the artists and art works designed for the Hagfors Center, see the Art & Identity web site.

Construction Site Work:

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  Glass fritting on the lobby curtainwall. Installation of the glass curtainwall for the Hagfors Center lobby is underway. This includes the first art installation: the glass fritting created by sculptor Andrea Stanislav and sponsored by Paul and Abigail Pribbenow.

  The pattern is Martin Luther’s handwritten score of “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” overlaid with the cell structure of elm wood (see photo at right). For more information, read the gift announcement story: .

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  Rooftop greenhouse. Work continues on the structural aluminum framework for the rooftop greenhouse (see photo at right). Crews will also continue installing glass for the greenhouse this week.

• Skyway painting. The final sections of the skyway painting will be completed this week. The sections over 21st Avenue South are finished, and the street has been reopened to traffic and parking.
• Mechanical area. Crews are beginning to install the metal panel exterior for the mechanical area, now that all the mechanical equipment has been set into place in that area.
• Freight elevator. Installation of the north elevator will begin this week.
• Hand-laid brick. The hand-laid brick wall on the flexible classroom is complete. (The remainder of the south wall will be glass.) Crews are setting up scaffolding and framing for the brick work on the main entrance this week (see photo below, at left).
• Tower crane retires. The work of the construction tower crane on the Hagfors Center site is complete. Crews are demobilizing the crane and removing it from the site this week. See photo below, at right, for a last look at the tower crane over the construction site.

 

It’s spring break at Augsburg, but construction on the Hagfors Center continues this week. Below is a summary of scheduled construction work this week.

Construction site work

• Skyway painting and street closure. The steel structure for the skyway between the Hagfors Center and Lindell Library is scheduled to be painted this week. This work requires the closure of 21^st Avenue South between South 6^th and South 7^th streets. McGough Construction scheduled the skyway painting during spring break in order to minimize the impact on traffic and parking on campus. Depending on weather, the painting project could possibly continue into the weekend of March 18-19. As a result, an afterhours work permit is required from the City of Minneapolis. Notification is part of this permit process. Any complaint regarding this work can be received by Minneapolis Information and Services at (612) 673-3000 or by calling 311 for phones with a 612 area code.
• Lobby curtainwall. Installation continues this week on the structural framing for the lobby curtainwall. Crews are also installing the aluminum curtainwall framing (see photo above) for the three-story exterior of the main lobby.
• Rooftop mechanical area. Crews have completed installation of the exterior insulated finish on the wall between the fourth story and the rooftop mechanical area. The duct work for the air handlers will be set in place on the roof this week, which is the last of the major installations in the mechanical area. (See photo below, at right.)
• Greenhouse. Installation of the structural aluminum framework for the rooftop greenhouse is in progress. This work can be seen on the south side of the building, above the chapel roofline. (See photo below, at left.)
• Brick wall on the flexible classroom. The hand-laid brick wall on the flexible classroom is scheduled to be complete this week (see photo above). Crews will then begin setting up scaffolding and framing for the brick work in the main entrance area.