Ceiling Work Progresses to Last Phase on 3rd Floor

The subcontractor installing the fire suppression sprinkler system has moved on to the last quadrant zone on the 3rd floor which is labeled on our phasing floor plan as Phase 4. In doing so, plastic sheeting covering the book stacks in the Phase 3 area has been removed, with the exception of three remaining ranges where pipes and sprinkler heads have been installed and ceiling tiles are now being put back.

Workers planned to finish with those tiles and begin moving the pipe cutting equipment out of the Phase 3 area this afternoon.

The Phase 4 zone is in the southeast quadrant of the building. Its stacks area that is covered with plastic sheeting includes books with call numbers ranging from HQ1236.5 C2 W654 to LB1027.55 E73. Faculty carrels affected: F301-F308

The transition from one area to the next this time took place a full week ahead of schedule, which means the sprinkler installation work is now moving very fast and much faster than in any previous phase. There were still issues with clearly communicating that the crews would be making an early switch, and this will be addressed in construction meetings. However, having the work done a lot faster than expected is a better problem than what the library experienced with the same work on, say, its 4th floor, where long delays were the norm.

After the work in Phase 4 on the 3rd floor is complete, the sprinkler system installation will move on to the 2nd floor, likely in just a couple of weeks.