Construction Project Updates

Fall semester classes resume this week. With students back on campus, it’s important to remind everyone about the importance of safety in and around the construction site. You can help keep the construction area safe by ensuring that no unauthorized personnel enter the construction site at any time. Only authorized personnel–wearing hard hats and safety vests–should enter the site. We appreciate everyone’s help keeping the construction area safe for workers and the campus community!

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

Work expected on the construction site this week includes the following:

• Third-floor concrete pours.  Concrete pours for the third floor of the north wing will continue this week. This work involves closing parking along 21st Avenue South between South 7th and South 8th streets to allow for staging of concrete trucks in the area to enable a consistent concrete supply for each pour. Watch Amail and street signage for parking restriction information.
• Fourth-floor formwork. As the third-floor concrete work is completed, crews will move the concrete formwork from the third floor up to the fourth floor. This work involves using the tower crane to lift large sections of the formwork from the third level up to the fourth level. To ensure safety, construction crews station a flag person on the street to direct traffic whenever a load needs to swing over an adjacent street, and they never swing a load over the community garden if there are people working in the area.
• Completion of utility work along South 6^th Street. The utility work on South 6th Street was extended beyond the original dates after a water main leak was discovered during the sanitary and storm utility work. This required water main repair work by the City of Minneapolis that resulted in an unexpected water shut off. Since the water shut off had not been planned, it was not possible to provide advance notice to neighbors. We do apologize for any inconvenience that the emergency water shut off may have caused. Now that the utility repair is complete, the only work that remains on South 6th Street is patching the asphalt, which the City of Minneapolis is expected to complete this fall.
• Continued column construction. Construction of the third-story columns will continue on the north wing of the building this week, as will construction of the first-floor columns on the west wing of the building.
• Utility work complete on 21st Avenue South and west of Oren. Xcel Energy has completed the removal of the utility poles along 21st Avenue South and the electrical utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center. Construction crews will proceed with concrete work and the installation of screen fencing in the area adjacent to Oren Gateway. The City of Minneapolis-approved tree removal on the construction site along the east side of South 6^th Street and on 21^stAvenue South has also been completed. These trees will be replaced during the summer of 2017, in accordance with City-approved plans.
• Mechanical piping installation. This week, crews will begin to install mechanical piping in the basement–the first activity related to interior work on the Hagfors Center.

As the summer break winds down and the campus prepares for the start of the fall semester next week, it is important to remind everyone about safety in and around the construction site. You can help keep the construction area safe by ensuring that no unauthorized personnel enter the construction site at any time. Only authorized personnel–wearing hard hats and safety vests–should enter the site. We appreciate everyone’s help keeping the construction area safe for workers and the campus community!

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

Work expected on the construction site this week includes the following:

• Third-floor concrete pours begin this week. The concrete pours for the third-story floor are scheduled to start this week. Again, these will involve closing parking along 21st Avenue South between South 7th and South 8th streets to allow for staging of concrete trucks in the area to enable a consistent concrete supply for each pour. Watch Amail and street signage for parking restriction information.

  

• Closure of 21st Avenue South. The southbound lane of 21st Avenue South north of 7th street will be closed August 22-25 for water and sanitary utility work. The goal is to have this work done before first-year student move-in day, this Friday, August 26, and the start of fall classes Monday, August 29.
• Continued column construction. Following the third-floor concrete pour, construction of the third-story columns will start on the north wing of the building. The first-floor columns on the west wing of the building are visible from 20th Avenue South, providing a sense for the shape and footprint of the building on the west side.
• Utility pole removal. Xcel has started the work to remove of the utility poles along 21st Avenue South. This work is expected to continue this week. After the utility work is complete, crews will proceed with the City of Minneapolis-approved tree removal on the construction site along the east side of South 6^th Street and on 21^stAvenue South. These trees will be replaced during the summer of 2017, in accordance with the City-approved plans.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

In conjunction with the utility pole removal noted above, Xcel will continue the electrical utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center. Sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South during this time.

Work on the north wing of the Hagfors Center continues upward this week — with crews putting concrete formwork in place for the third floor. (See the photo from Friday, August 12, showing the construction crew completing the concrete pour for the second-story slab on the north wing of the Hagfors Center.) The plan is to complete the concrete pours for the four floors of the north wing before beginning work on the three stories of the building’s west wing.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Concrete formwork for the third floor. The concrete pours for the north wing of the second floor slab are complete, and crews are moving the concrete formwork from the second floor up to the third floor this week. This work involves using the tower crane to lift large sections of the formwork from the second level up to the third level. To ensure safety, construction crews station a flag person on the street to direct traffic whenever a load needs to swing over an adjacent street, and they never swing a load over the community garden if there are people working in the area.
• Closures of South 6th Street and 21st Avenue South. In order to minimize traffic disruption, the plans for street closures north and east of the construction site have been changed from what was previously communicated. South 6th Street will be closed between 20th and 21st avenues August 15-19. Following the reopening of South 6th Street, the southbound lane of 21st Avenue South between South 6th and 7th streets will be closed August 22-25. These closures are required for water and sanitary utility work. The goal is to have this work done before first-year student move-in day, Friday, August 26.
• Continued column construction. Crews will continue construction of first-floor columns on the west wing of the building and second-floor columns on the north wing this week.
• Completion of the ground-level slab. The concrete pour for the remainder of the ground-level slab will be scheduled within the next few weeks. Completion of the ground-level slab is not required for other construction work to proceed, so its schedule is coordinated around higher-priority, critical-path activities.
• Utility pole removal. Recent heavy storms and power outages have impacted Xcel’s schedule, so construction crews are continuing to coordinate with Xcel to schedule removal of the utility poles along 21st Avenue South. After the utility work is complete, crews will proceed with the City of Minneapolis-approved tree removal on the construction site along the east side of South 6^th Street and on 21^st Avenue South. These trees will be replaced during the summer of 2017, in accordance with the City-approved plans.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

The electrical utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center is expected to be scheduled in conjunction with the power and utility pole removal along 21st Avenue South. Sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South until that work is complete.

Rain and hot weather last week drove the need for adjustments in the weekly work activities on the Hagfors Center construction site. (As with any major construction project, changes in weekly work activities due to weather and other factors are to be expected.) Installation of the second-story concrete formwork, however, remained the top priority last week, so that the concrete pours for the second floor would remain on schedule. As this work progresses, please watch Amail and posted signage for activities that may impact pedestrian or vehicle traffic on campus.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Second-floor concrete pours. The first concrete pours for the second-story floor are scheduled this week. Formwork installation for this work was top priority last week so, despite the days of rain and heat, concrete pours for the second floor are still on track. (The photo from Sunday night, August 7, shows the construction site ready for the second-floor concrete pours to begin this week.) The concrete pours will involve closing parking along 21st Avenue South between South 7th and South 8th streets to allow for staging of concrete trucks in the area to enable a consistent concrete supply for each pour. Watch Amail and street signage for parking restriction information.
• Street closures on South 6^th Street and 21st Avenue South.  In coordination with the City of Minneapolis, two sections of street north and east of the construction site will be closed to parking and through traffic August 10-16 for sanitary and water utility work. South 6th Street between 20th and 21st avenues will be closed to parking and through traffic during those dates as will the south-bound lane of 21st Avenue South between South 6th and 7th Streets.
• Second-floor columns. Following the second-floor concrete pours, second-floor columns will begin to be built on top of the slab.
• Ground-level slab and footing work. The concrete pour for the remainder of the ground-level slab was pushed out due to rain and heat. That work is expected to occur this week. Additional concrete work for the footings will continue as well.
• Utility pole removal. The utility poles along 21st Avenue South are still expected to be removed within the next few weeks. After the utility poles are removed, crews will proceed with the planned tree removal on the construction site. The City of Minneapolis-approved plan includes the removal of four trees along South 6^th Street and the street trees on the west side of 21^st Avenue South, which will be replaced during the summer of 2017 with seven new 3-inch oaks along South 6^th Street and nine new street trees along 21^st Avenue South.
• Security lighting installation. Additional security lighting as been installed on the construction site and is ready to be turned on once power is cut to the utility poles along 21st Avenue South.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

The utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center to relocate the electrical service is expected to be completed in conjunction with the power and utility pole removal along 21st Avenue South. Sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South while that work is in progress.

Construction on the Norman and Evangeline Hagfors Center for Science, Business, and Religion is now at the three month mark. The basement and ground-level slabs are near completion, and construction crews are completing the formwork in preparation for the second-floor concrete pour. (See the photo in this post from Monday, August 1.)

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Finishing the ground-level slab. This week, construction crews will be pouring the remainder of the main lobby floor–the last of the ground-level slab for the building. No parking restrictions are anticipated for this work.
• Footing work. Additional concrete work will continue this week for the footings, but this work also does not require parking restrictions around the construction site.
• Preparation for second-floor concrete pours the week of August 8. Formwork installation continues this week for the second-story floor. No large concrete pours are scheduled this week, but are expected to begin early during the week of August 8. Large concrete pours, when they happen, will involve closing the parking along 21st Avenue South between South 7th and South 8th streets to allow for staging trucks in the area to enable a consistent concrete supply for each pour. Watch Amail and street signage for future parking restriction information as concrete pours are scheduled in subsequent weeks.
• Utility pole removal. The utility poles along 21st Avenue South are expected to be removed within the next few weeks. Once the utility poles are removed, crews will proceed with the planned tree removal on the construction site. The City of Minneapolis-approved plan includes the removal of four trees along South 6^th Street and the street trees on the west side of 21^st Avenue South. These will be replaced during the summer of 2017 with seven new 3-inch oaks along South 6^th Street and nine new street trees along 21^st Avenue South.
• Security lighting. Removal of the utility poles will also remove the city street lighting attached to them, so Augsburg will install and maintain security lighting on the construction site for the duration of the project.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

The utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center to relocate the electrical service is expected to finish in conjunction with the power and utility pole removal along 21st Avenue South. Sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South until that work is complete.

As with any major construction project, weekly work activities may be affected by weather, crew availability, project sequencing, and other factors. Please watch Amail for any changed activities that may impact the campus community.

Last week’s high heat index affected construction schedules on the Hagfors Center, as crews adjusted work plans to ensure safety during extreme heat conditions. Despite the heat, however, ground-level and second-floor construction work made progress during the week. (See photo from Friday, July 22, at right.)

As with any major construction project, weekly work activities may be affected by weather, crew availability, project sequencing, and other factors. Please watch Amail for any changed activities that may impact the campus community.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Backfilling basement walls. Backfilling soil along the outside of the basement walls will continue for the next several weeks, but the work will involve minimal truck traffic to complete.
• Concrete pours for the remainder of the ground-level slab. The concrete has been poured for the ground-level slab of the east-west wing of the Hagfors Center. Additional, small concrete pours will continue this week for footings, foundations, and columns. The remaining ground-level slab–for the main lobby of the building–will be poured in early August.
• Formwork installation for second-story floor. The formwork “tables” for the second-story concrete pours are being put into place by the tower crane. No large concrete pours are expected this week, so no parking restrictions are anticipated this week along 21st Avenue South. Watch Amail for future parking restriction information as concrete pours are scheduled in subsequent weeks.
• Utility pole removal along 21^stAvenue South. The utility pole removal along 21st Avenue South is still pending a confirmed date from Xcel Energy. Removal of the utility poles will also remove the city street lighting attached to them, so Augsburg is planning to install and maintain security lighting on the construction site for the duration of the project. Ultimately, the goal is to install permanent lighting, after Hagfors Center is complete, as the College has done along South 8th Street.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

The utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center also is still in progress, as Xcel Energy works to reroute electrical service for the Hagfors Center. Sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South as a result.

As the ground-level slab and basement walls are nearing completion,construction crews begin work on columns and the first-story ceiling/second-story floor. See the image of the construction site from July, 15, at the right.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Backfilling basement walls. Now that the basement ceiling is completely poured, it ties the basement walls together, which means that the soil backfilling outside the basement walls can be completed up to ground level. Backfilling of the basement walls and other areas will continue for the next few weeks.
• Completion of ground-level slab. The ground-level slab for the portion of the Hagfors Center that does not have a basement will be poured this week. See the Gallery of Drawings page for more information about each of the floorplans.
• Formwork for ceilings/floors. There will be some truck traffic to and from the construction site this week as the materials for the ceiling/floor concrete formwork for the second, third, and fourth levels are brought in and the forms for the basement level are taken out.
• Truck traffic during concrete pours. The exact dates for concrete pours on the upper storys will depend on weather and other factors. During each concrete pour, there will be no parking on 21^st Avenue South between South 7^th and South 8^th streets. Concrete trucks will be temporarily parked/staged in this area to enable a consistent supply of concrete for each pour. Watch Amail and street signage for parking restrictions.
• Columns begin to appear. Construction of columns from the ground floor to level 2 are in progress and are now visible on the construction site.
• Utility pole removal along 21^st Avenue South. McGough is working to confirm a date with Xcel Energy to remove the utility poles along 21st Avenue South. Removal of the utility poles will also remove the city street lighting attached to them. To offset this, Augsburg will install and maintain security lighting through the duration of the project. Ultimately, the goal is to install permanent lighting, after Hagfors Center is complete, as the College has done along South 8th Street.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

Utility work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center is still in progress, as Xcel Energy works to reroute electrical service for the Hagfors Center. City of Minneapolis sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South during this time.

As with any major construction project, work activities may be affected by weather, crew availability, project sequencing, and other factors. As a result, the timing of planned work activities may change from day to day. Please see updates sent via Amail for planned activities.

With the basement floor complete and the formwork in place to pour the basement ceiling, construction crews now begin to assemble the forms that will support the concrete pours for the floors and ceilings of the building’s four storys.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Basement floor is complete. The concrete slab for the basement floor is done. Soil backfilling outside the basement walls is expected to continue for several more weeks.
• Preparations for construction of the first floor. The forms for the concrete pour of the basement ceiling are completed — so, you now can no longer see the basement floor while standing at ground level on the construction site. The basement ceiling will be poured in the next week or two.
• Preparing the formwork for the remaining ceilings/floors. Pre-built formwork — shaped like large tables — are being assembled on the construction site. These forms will support the concrete pour for the ceiling of the first floor and then, when the concrete for that story is hardened, the forms will be removed by the tower crane and positioned for the concrete pour for the next story.
• Utility pole and tree removal.  Following last week’s storm McGough is working with Xcel Energy to determine when they will remove the utility poles along 21st Avenue South. Following the removal of those utility poles, the planned tree removal on the construction site (four trees along South 6^th Street and the street trees on the west side of 21^st Avenue South) will be scheduled.

UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

Work on the west side of Oren Gateway Center is still in progress, as Xcel Energy works to reroute electrical service for the Hagfors Center. City of Minneapolis sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South as a result.

As construction on the basement level of the Hagfors Center nears completion, crews begin preparations for first-floor construction and beyond.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Chiller installation. Two 15-foot chillers will be trucked into the construction site and lifted by the tower crane from the truck bed to their installation location in the basement of the building.
• Footings, foundations, and basement walls and floor. With the continued work on the footings and foundations, the outline of the building will be substantially completed this week. The concrete slab for the basement floor also will be finished. Soil hauling will continue as crews backfill dirt along the exterior of the basement walls and building foundations.
• Preparations for construction of the first floor and above. Assembling the forms for the concrete pours for the first deck (the basement ceiling/floor of the ground level) continues this week. Crews will also start trucking in materials for the concrete forms for the second-floor slab and subsequent floors.
• Construction site tree removal. The planned tree removal on the construction site (four trees along South 6^th Street and the street trees on the west side of 21^st Avenue South) is pending utility pole removal along 21^st Avenue South. The City of Minneapolis-approved landscaping plan calls for seven new 3-inch oaks along South 6^th Street, providing tighter spacing and a denser canopy on the north side of the Hagfors Center, and nine new street trees along 21^st Avenue South. Those trees will be planted in the summer of 2017.

CONTINUED UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

Work continues on the north end of 21st Avenue South, as Xcel Energy reroutes electrical service for the Hagfors Center. City of Minneapolis sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on the west side of Oren Gateway Center as a result.

As the basement floor and walls are completed, preparations begin for pouring the ground-level floor of the Hagfors Center. See the images at the bottom of this post for views of the basement walls and floor on the construction site in the last week of June.

CONSTRUCTION SITE WORK

• Basement floor completion. Concrete pours for the basement floor continue, and the remainder of basement floor is expected to be poured this week.
• Ongoing earth work. Soil hauling on the construction site continues as crews backfill dirt along the exterior of the basement walls. Because crews are using soil available on the construction site, a minimal amount will need to be imported to the site for this work.
• Preparations for construction on the ground floor. This week, crews will begin to assemble the forms for the concrete pours of the basement ceiling/ground-level floor. The concrete pours for the ground-level floor are expected to start after the Fourth of July holiday.
• Construction site tree removal. The construction site plans approved by the City of Minneapolis include the removal of four trees along South 6th Street as well as the street trees on the west side of 21st Avenue South between South 6th and South 8th streets. These trees are scheduled for removal in the next month, after the utility poles are removed by Xcel Energy. The four trees on South 6th Street will be replaced in the summer of 2017 with seven 3-inch oaks, providing tighter spacing and a denser canopy on the north side of the Hagfors Center. The street trees along 21st Avenue South will also be replaced in the summer of 2017, with nine new trees–two species in an alternating pattern–along that street.

CONTINUED UTILITY WORK WEST OF OREN GATEWAY CENTER

The utility project along 21st Avenue South continues, as Xcel Energy reroutes electrical service for the Hagfors Center. City of Minneapolis sidewalk closures and parking restrictions may continue on 21st Avenue South west of Oren Gateway Center as a result.

Fourth of July holiday

Augsburg College and the Hagfors Center construction crew will observe the Independence Day holiday on Monday, July 4. No construction activity will take place on the holiday. The weekly update that week will go out on Tuesday, July 5.

View of basement walls and floor as of June 24, 2016