Our contractor was busy over the holiday break, mounting insulation on the exterior of King Hall, the final step before installing the metal panel systems to finish the exterior; setting up a new transformer and switchgear to provide electricity to the new and existing parts of King Hall; and completing the painted surfaces and hanging drop ceiling grids in many of the offices and classrooms. 

Next steps include installing exterior metal panel systems, the final stage of the exterior work:  demolishing the lower level planter boxes in the courtyard to prepare next steps to create our new courtyard: and installing the first wood panels in the interior spaces.

Our new building is now essentially weatherized, allowing construction to proceed unabated as the rainy season begins.  With the installation of the windows mostly complete, the contractor will soon install metal panel systems to cover the spaces between the windows (these are the space in blue in the image below).  Earlier this month, the campus completed the installation of the Arneson See No Evil, Hear No Evil eggheads atop two newly created mounds in Mrak Circle.

Most offices will have operable windows.  As part of its energy efficient and sustainable design, the new building integrates thermostats with sensors in the operable windows, permitting the heating and cooling system to adjust automatically to compensate for an open window.

We're developing furniture layouts for 72 spaces in the new building.  Below are architect renderings of casework reception desks in the Admissions and Financial Aid Offices and the "Mark Perry '80 and Melanie Pena" Career Services Office.  Thanks to the generosity of our donors, these receptions desks will be made of cherry wood and feature granite counters that match the wood and stone finishes in the public spaces of the new building.

Above is an architect rendering of the casework reception desks in the Admissions and Financial Aid Offices.  The image below shows painting in progress in this future office suite.

Below is the architect rendering of the future Perry and Pena Career Services Office and a current photo of the space with painting in progress.

The contractor installed windows to enclose the second-floor breezeway in the existing King Hall facility.  This breezeway becomes an enclosed walkway to enhance circulation.   King Hall's new circulation is oriented around the courtyard, allowing natural light to radiate circulation spaces and providing folks the courtyard as a recurring navigational reference point.

Campus has started site work to install Robert Arneson's "See No Evil/Hear No Evil" eggheads on Mrak Circle northeast of the King Hall expansion wing.  The eggheads will face one another atop small grassy mounds.  The installation is scheduled to be complete before Thanksgiving.  The eggheads have been in storage since their removal in spring 2008 to make way for the King Hall expansion.

The King Hall construction site has been busy, and construction is over 50% complete.  The new building fared well against our recent storms, and the contractor is on schedule to weatherize the exterior by mid-November.  The brick façade is nearly complete.  The contractor is continuing to install concrete window sills and window frames, and in the northeast corner has placed the first glass.  The contractor has nearly framed all the second floor interior spaces and is hanging gypsum board in the first floor.  I led a hard hat tours for faculty and staff the past two weeks.  The framed spaces, many with gypsum board and door frames already in place, made it easy for us to visualize our future offices, classrooms, seminar rooms and reception areas.  Two weeks ago, a crane hoisted the HVAC system atop the new wing, and the contractor concealed it behind an attractive metal parapet.

Contractor installs window sills on the north facade.  The building features operable windows in most offices.  For energy efficiency, these windows have sensors linked to the heating and air-conditioning systems.  When a window is opened in a room that has a thermostat, the heating and air-conditioning automatically adjust to compensate.

Stairway linking the first and second floors of the expansion wing will be finished in terrazzo, stainless steel, and cherry wood.

Recycled denim used as insulation in a first-floor office.  The building expansion makes extensive use of recycled materials.  Along with recycled materials, the building features many other sustainable design features, including locally sourced materials and water and energy efficient systems, which together help us achieve a silver equivalency rating according to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards of the United States Green Building Council.

The campus office of Architects and Engineers reports that the construction of the King Hall expansion is 45% complete and the new  wing will be ready for occupancy in May 2010.

The contractor is on schedule to complete the exterior (brick, metal panels, windows, and roof) by mid-November, allowing construction to proceed unabated when the rainy season begins.  While busy working on the exterior, the contractor has also mobilized multiple construction trades who are busy on the interior of the building, framing interior offices and classrooms, hanging gypsum board, installing fire sprinklers, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical systems.

The Dean's Office is working with the campus, contractor, and architect to provide various enhancements, including a drinking fountain in the courtyard, additional interactive displays/kiosks for way-finding, and enhanced donor recognition and branding signage within and outside the building. 

Southeast view of the facade enclosed in scaffolding for the masons who're laying brick.

 View of the north facade showing completed brick and concrete wall sections.

View of the courtyard showing site and foundation work for new walkway that enhances accessibility and prominence of the Mabie Law Library main entrance.

Contractor is installing fire sprinklers and HVAC in the future Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom.

Landscape architect elevation and plan depicting one design option for a drinking fountain to be incorporated on the south side of the new courtyard at the union of the new wing and the existing building.

Our contractor, KOO, is fully mobilized to take maximum advantage of the summer break.  Multiple trades are working in every nook and cranny of the construction site to finish as much of the disruptive work as possible before the new academic year starts.  The contractor is on target to finish the new wing by May 2010.

KOO expects to weatherize the new wing by October, allowing construction to continue unhindered in the case of inclement weather.  Our community will soon see the new building take shape and will get a flavor of its aesthetic based on natural light and transparency.  In the coming weeks, KOO will clad exterior wall sections with brick, install the windows, and pour the concrete elevator tower.

KOO is also rushing to complete the most disruptive remaining work within the existing King Hall facility, mostly utility upgrades and tie-ins to the new wing, before our academic year resumes.  Once we welcome our entering class of 1Ls on August 17, KOO will shift the remaining loud and disruptive work within the existing King Hall facility to an after-hours schedule.  We hope to minimize disruption during the academic year to the maximum extent possible.

Exterior facade of the new wing takes shape.

KOO prepares an exterior mock-up of the brick facade.  KOO will soon start cladding the exterior with brick and installing windows.  The contractor will begin at the Wilkins Moot Court corner of the new wing and work clockwise towards the faculty wing facing the Arboretum.

Crews hang fire sprinklers in the Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom.

Site work continues for the new elevator tower that will be in the courtyard at the union of the new wing and the existing facility.

With the state funding commitment unfrozen for the King Hall building project, the contractor has fully mobilized.  Over the next several weeks, the contractor will weatherize the roof, complete fireproofing the steel frame, rough in utilities, and erect the steel studs of the exterior walls of the new wing.  Site and foundation work is also underway on the new elevator tower in the courtyard.

View of the north facade of the new wing, showing the steel studs of the exterior walls.  Transparency, natural light, and the interplay between inside and outside were design priorities of the new addition.  The new wing features significant amounts of energy-efficient glazing as windows will fill the large spaces between the steel stud panels.

View from the existing King Hall building into the new wing, showing significant open space under the new stairway that will be windows looking into the courtyard.

View of second floor of the faculty wing overlooking the Arboretum waterway.

Demolition and early site work and foundation for the new elevator tower in the King Hall courtyard.

Architectural depiction of the new elevator tower in the courtyard.  The elevator fulfills the project's overall design priority of transparency and natural light, with windows in both the elevator cab and tower, affording a view of the courtyard from the elevator and adding the interesting architectural feature of a moving elevator viewable from the courtyard.

Another view of the new elevator showing its cladding of glass, brick, and wooden louvers.  The King Hall building project adds two new elevators, one in the courtyard at the union of the new and existing parts of King Hall and a second to be added during the renovation inside the Mabie Law Library.

Construction is progressing quickly as the new wing of King Hall takes shapes with the decking of the floors.  Next week, the contractor will pour the second floor concrete slab and finish the stepped-floors in the Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom and new 50-seat classroom.

Facade and main entry of the new wing facing Mrak Circle

Stairwell view from the main lobby of the new wing

Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom view from the new faculty wing

Courtyard view from the second story of the new wing

On May 14, we celebrated a special milestone:  the "topping off" or completion of the steel frame of the King Hall expansion wing.  After remarks from Chancellor Vanderhoef, Provost Lavernia, Dean Johnson, Dean emeritus Perschbacher, and Alumni Board President Boutin '72,  the community was given a hard hat tour and commemorated the occasion by signing columns of the new steel frame. 

Community gathers to hear dignitaries commemorate the topping off.

Dean Johnson delivers remarks to a gathering of alumni, faculty, staff, students, and campus dignitaries.

Dykstra Professor and Dean emeritus Rex Perschbacher

 Alumni Board President Steve Boutin '72

Senior Assistant Dean for Administration Adam Talley leads hard hat tour of the King Hall expansion wing.

On April 28, the final steel beam of King Hall's expansion wing was placed, completing the wing's steel frame.

We're celebrating this milestone on Thursday, May 14, 10:30am-12pm, in Mrak Circle in front of King Hall, with remarks from school and campus leadership and an opportunity for a "hard hat" tour of the new wing. Guests will also have a chance to memorialize themselves by signing a steel column of the new frame. This "signing" opportunity is a customary part of the "topping out" ceremonies traditionally held by iron workers as building's final structural beam is put in place. To tour the site and sign a column, guests must wear closed-toe shoes. Guests cannot wear skirts, shorts, sandals, or high heels.

Construction is on partial hiatus during final exams, with minor work underway to complete the concrete foundations of the new appellate courtroom and classroom in the expansion wing. Full construction will resume on Monday, May 18.