Rain causes three-month delay in construction
By Daily Bruin Staff
Jan. 23, 1996 9:00 p.m.
Rain causes three-month delay in construction
Students face assessment of quarterly fee to offset seismic
renovations costs
By Ryan Ozimek
Due to the record-heavy rains that hit Southern California this
past winter, the $60 million seismic renovation and expansion of
Kerckhoff Hall and Ackerman Union will take three months longer
than originally planned.
At the onset of the project, contractors planned for the first
stage of construction to be completed during mid-March. But with
the unforeseen adverse weather of last winter, the first of a
three-stage construction period will continue on through the end of
the second quarter.
"Although we know that the project will take longer to complete,
we won’t know the added cost of the Ackerman reconstruction, if
there is any, for another month or so," said Mike Otavka,
facilities development director for the students’ association
(ASUCLA).
On the other hand, because Kerckhoff contractors aren’t being
paid by their time on the job, the added length of time to finish
Kerckhoff won’t affect the cost to complete it.
"The contractor’s price for reconstructing Kerckhoff won’t
increase because of the project’s extension," said Curt Ginther,
the principal project manager. "It will just take longer to
finish."
Part of the funds financing the students’ association’s massive
building renovations will come directly out of student wallets.
Bruins will be assessed a "student seismic safety fee" of about
$113 per quarter over the next 27 years to partially fund the $60
million project.
"If it’s the university’s property, why should I, as a student,
have to pay for its repairs," asked Jeff Brill, a first-year
economics student.
The first stage of the projects focuses only on the most
fundamental parts of the construction. This stage includes the
retrofitting of Kerckhoff Hall and the expansion of Ackerman Union
into the nearby plaza.
The second and third stages of construction – which will not be
finished until fall of 1996 for Kerckhoff, and sometime during
winter or spring of 1996-97 for Ackerman – includes renovating the
upper levels of each building. In Kerckhoff, for instance, a
complete overhaul of the interior design and electrical and fire
systems will be included in the second stage of construction.
"Although much of the structure is being reconstructed,
(Kerckhoff Hall) will keep its same historical flavor," said Daniel
Fearman, the project superintendent for Ray Wilson Co., the general
contractors working on the Kerckhoff and Ackerman projects.
Everything from the light brown steps to the multicolored slates
that lined the front of Kerckhoff will be returned to their
original places. Even the most minor details in the building have
been recorded, which in itself was a very time consuming
project.
"Hundreds of photographs of the slate pieces on the floor of the
entrance and the steps have been taken and labeled," Fearman
said.
However, within the newly expanded Ackerman Union, various
changes are being made to improve the design of the building.
The new west entrance will feature a large outdoor patio two
floors above Westwood Plaza, while new indoor lobbies will view
Bruin Walk. Cement planters and large arched wood beams have been
placed in the patio to enhance the mainly monotone concrete
building.
One of the larger parts of Ackerman’s reconstruction included
increasing many of the buildings’ concrete walls with even more
concrete. Doing so will help support the building through major
earthquakes, officials explained.
Contractors just completed installing vertical reinforcements
under the newly rebuilt Grand Ballroom on the second floor.
"To help protect Ackerman from structural damage in the event of
an earthquake, we needed to increase its stiffness into the
ground," Fearman said.
After the first stage of the Ackerman project is completed,
parts of the newly created areas will become a temporary home to
the bookstore. The Student’s Store will return to its original
location after the final stages of construction are finished in
spring of next year.
The textbook store will also find a new residence in the
remodeled Ackerman.
KRIS FALLON/Daily Bruin
An expanded Ackerman Union will house the bookstore again once
seismic reinforcements are completed.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Project superintendent Daniel Fearman of Ray Wilson Co., claims
that the "historical flavor" of Kerckhoff/Ackerman will be
preserved despite revamping.
FRED HE/Daily Bruin
Kerckhoff is destined for retrofitting and an overhaul of the
electrical and fire systems.
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