Monday, April 25, 2016: Groundbreaking this week - Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion

Groundbreaking for the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion is Friday, April 29. Below is a summary of construction-area activities underway to prepare for the project. During construction, both pedestrians and drivers should proceed with care to ensure their safety and that of others on campus.

Utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center

Reconstruction continues west of Oren Gateway Center to create an expanded area for utilities support equipment. City of Minneapolis parking restrictions may remain in force along 21st Avenue South between 7th Street South and Riverside Avenue until this work is completed. A screening fence for the area will be added later during the summer.

Potential internet service disruption

On Tuesday, April 26, from 9 to 11 p.m., Information Technology will perform maintenance on one of the College’s fiber internet connections. This maintenance is required as part of the utility relocation work in preparation for construction of the Hagfors Center. The reconfiguration of this redundant fiber connection may potentially cause a 1- to 2-minute network outage while internet traffic flows to other internet connections. Augsburg network services at Luther Seminary for the Physician Assistant Program will be unavailable for the duration of the reconfiguration.

Parking and street closure for groundbreaking

On Friday, April 29, Augsburg will host a donor groundbreaking ceremony for the Hagfors Center. The event will involve three large construction vehicles on the site for staging purposes; however, there will be no excavation until construction begins the following week. Lot G will close for the groundbreaking ceremony; it will reopen for commencement on Saturday, April 30, and then close permanently.

First week of construction

Lot F and 7th Street South will remain open until noon on Monday, May 2, to accommodate the final student move-out from Anderson and Luther residence halls. As of Monday afternoon, May 2, Lot F and 7th Street South between 20th and 21st avenues will be closed permanently.

Construction of the Hagfors Center will commence May 2 and will involve demolition of parking lots on the site as well as the existing house at 623 20th Avenue South, additional tree removal on the construction site (note: the cottonwood tree near the community gardens will not be removed due to construction), and installation of the remainder of the construction fence. Excavation will commence May 2 or 3, and construction trailers will be set up by Thursday, May 5. Cable work will also be scheduled during the week of May 2, resulting in potential outages of the cable TV systems on campus. The date and time window for this work will be published next week.