New buildings at south campus entrances are on the horizon

Construction activity is underway at two key entrances to the UCLA campus to make way for three much anticipated new buildings that will underscore UCLA’s full commitment to teaching, learning and outreach, and serve as landmark gateways to the campus.

 

Demolition of Parking Structure 6 near the corner of Strathmore Drive and Westwood Plaza began in September to prepare for the construction of the Meyer and Renee Luskin Conference and Guest Center. Immediately to the east, work on the new Engineering VI building is also underway. A short distance away at the intersection of Le Conte Avenue and Tiverton Drive, site preparation also began in September for the new Teaching and Learning Center for the Health Sciences (TLC).

 

"For the first time, UCLA will have a well-designed destination to enter the campus at the Westwood Boulevard terminus," said Peter Hendrickson, associate vice chancellor of design and construction in the Capital Programs Office. "Similarly on Tiverton Drive, the construction of the Teaching and Learning Center is providing a unique opportunity to improve the aesthetic and presence of the Center for the Health Sciences campus entrance. "

 

Completing these three projects, along with other ongoing construction at UCLA, in a way that minimizes disruption and inconvenience to the campus and surrounding community involves strategy, foresight, flexibility and creativity, said Hendrickson, adding that UCLA is a dynamic place, and it’s always changing.

 

"This is an operating campus, so we have to make sure that daily activities are not going to be impacted. And if they are going to be impacted, we must mitigate, to the greatest extent possible, issues related to construction," he said. "We want to maintain environmental quality and be good stewards while developing the campus in a responsible way."

 

Some mitigation strategies are more visible to the campus community than others. Changes to bus routes, redirecting vehicular and pedestrian traffic, and the installation of barriers and new pathways are some of the more obvious signs of construction; however, other strategies are more subtle.

 

As with other construction projects on campus, construction work is being done on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. to minimize noise in the early morning and evening. Starting and finishing before and after standard UCLA work hours also allow construction workers to get to and from campus without putting pressure on the traffic flow in the surrounding area. In some cases, work is also being done on Saturdays.

 

Other measures to minimize noise include setting a maximum decibel level of 85 or 90 at 50 feet, depending on the type of equipment being used; equipping jackhammers with exhaust mufflers and steel-muffling sleeves; and ensuring that diesel equipment has "quiet" exhaust mufflers and air compressors. Equipment must also be maintained to reduce noise resulting from vibration, faulty mufflers or other sources. To keep construction traffic in check, detailed plans for truck access, hauling routes, vehicle storage, and traffic control and signage are coordinated by the university and the construction teams.

 

Pedestrian safety is a top priority and a key factor when plans are being developed as people and pathways are rerouted to accommodate work sites and related activities, said Stephanie Tollenaere, director of project management services.

 

"There is an intense effort made to help people feel safe while navigating or working around active construction sites," said Tollenaere. Clear channels of communication, new pedestrian pathways, covered walkways when overhead construction is in progress, traffic control, barriers and maintaining a flag person at pedestrian crossings when construction equipment is operating are all in place to maximize safety. In addition, temporary lighting, like that at the TLC site, is installed when necessary.

 

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a voluntary program that verifies environmentally sustainable building practices and materials, has also become a requirement in the development of any project within the UC system. When Parking Structure 6 was demolished to make way for the Luskin Conference Center, roughly 90 percent of the structure was repurposed and recycled. The concrete was pulverized on site, allowing the metal infrastructure to be stripped for reuse. A full 90 percent of those surplus materials are being recycled and used for fill on other building sites and for road-building materials, among other purposes.

 

Additional efforts are being made to periodically wet down or otherwise contain dirt on the site to reduce airborne dust and other contaminants; to use alternative fuel and low-emission diesel; and to prevent or reduce the discharge of pollutants from construction activities.

 

While day-to-day adjustments commonly associated with major building projects are always being made, there’s genuine excitement overall about witnessing the evolution of UCLA as a world-class institution, said Tom LaVanne, director of construction management in the Capital Programs Office.

 

As these buildings continue to take shape, that excitement and anticipation to see the final product will undoubtedly escalate. "UCLA’s worldwide reputation for excellence in education and research attracts many people who share the institution’s vision and want to contribute in making the campus a better place."

 

Completion of both the Luskin Conference and Guest Center and the Teaching and Learning Center for the Health Sciences is scheduled for 2016. Work has been ongoing at the site of the Engineering VI building since late-2011. The facility is slated for completion in early 2015.