Five of the main construction projects occurring on and around the UCLA campus have an estimated cost of $1 billion.
Some of the larger projects that are currently occurring on campus are the renovation of Sproul Hall, the construction of the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and the Life Sciences replacement building, the demolition and construction of the UCPD building, and the remodeling of the Cooperage in Ackerman Union.
Sproul Hall
The renovation of Sproul Hall will be finished in May, said Sajal Debnath, construction manager for UCLA Housing.
The renovation began with the asbestos removal in October 2006 and was originally supposed to be finished in April but is slightly behind schedule, Debnath said.
They are currently finalizing renovations on the residence hall, such as installing fire alarms and bathroom fixtures, he said.
The general contractor will be paid approximately $24.5 million for this project, which does not include soft costs, such as architect fees, inspections costs and contract management fees, he said.
He added that the contractor increased the original estimate by approximately $2 million because of unforeseen conditions that they were not aware of before the renovation began, as well as additional renovations.
Tim Chan, a third-year economics student who lives in Saxon Suites on the Hill said that he believes the renovation has been managed well.
He said other buildings were opened before construction on Sproul Hall began, and the front desk at Sproul was kept open so that Hill residents can still have a place to take care of their concerns and pick up their mail.
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
The first day of operation for the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center is expected to be May 4, said Dale Tate, executive director of communications and government relations for UCLA Health Sciences.
The new structure will house the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Mattel Children’s Hospital at UCLA and the Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA when the project is complete, hospital spokeswoman Roxanne Moster said.
May 4 will mark the end of a project that has been in the works for more than a decade. The initial planning stages of the project began after the 1994 Northridge earthquake, when it was determined that the current hospital structure was severely damaged and would need to either be retrofit or rebuilt, Tate said.
She said all major construction is completed and they are currently in the process of installing equipment such as imaging machines, moving in furniture, and organizing offices.
The total cost for this project is approximately $829 million, she said.
Life Sciences replacement building
The construction of the Life Sciences replacement building began in June 2007 and is expected to be completed in spring of 2010, said Phil Hampton, a university spokesman. It was originally supposed to be finished in late 2009, according to Daily Bruin archives.
The building will house the departments of physiological science, ecology and evolutionary biology, and molecular, cellular and developmental biology, Hampton said.
He added that the current Life Sciences building is outdated and the construction of the replacement building is necessary “to attract and retain the very best faculty, researchers and graduate students.”
Hampton said it was important to have modern and up-to-date research and lab facilities.
The pouring of the foundation was recently completed, and they are beginning to put the rebar in. From there they will begin building up, he said. The project is estimated to cost $155 million.
Tiele Hysni, a third-year psychology student who lives on Hilgard Avenue, directly across the street from the location where the Life Sciences replacement building is being constructed, said that she knows the construction has to occur sometime, but wishes that it was done during more common hours.
University Police Station
The UCPD building that will be built on the corner of Westwood Plaza and Charles E. Young Drive South, where the police department was previously housed, will be completed and opened in November 2009, according to Michael Grant-Martin, program manager for Capital Programs.
Thus far, they have been making preparations for the building demolition, such as disconnecting the utilities and salvaging critical equipment to be used throughout the campus, Grant-Martin said. Hazardous material abatement and demolition will begin during the first week of March. A bid is currently being selected for this portion of the project, Grant-Martin said.
Grant-Martin said the hazardous materials abatement and demolition will be finished by the first week of June, and soon afterward construction of the building will begin. He added that the cost of the project is approximately $20 million.
The Cooperage
The renovation of the Cooperage in Ackerman Union is estimated to be finished early in spring quarter, said Cindy Bolton, director of restaurant and food operations for Associated Students UCLA. She added that construction began in June 2007 with the new space for Taco Bell.
They have already performed a partial demolition of the dining room and relocated the Cooperage offices for the online gaming space, Bolton said.
Currently, the old Cooperage offices are being demolished, and the coffee shop and the dining space is being constructed, she said.
The budget for the project is approximately $3 million, Bolton said.
Avani Oswal, a third-year business economics student, said, “I think it is great we are getting a nicer place to enjoy food in a better ambience.”
Oswal added that there are negative aspects of construction occurring on campus.
She said that construction is slightly annoying, is always going on, sometimes gets in the way, and disturbs students with noise.