South Green demolition, Sook Center construction to start this summer

Changes to South Green, the start of the new Sook Center and several other construction projects at Ohio University will get a kick-start this summer.

Some of the construction projects will affect traffic, parking and roadway closures on campus during the summer months.

The Back South demolition project has begun. Crews are removing asbestos and “hazardous material” from Fenzel, Martzolff and O’Bleness houses, Gregory Robertson, associate vice president for architecture, design and construction, said. The demolition of those residence halls is expected to begin in the last week of May, and it could impact traffic along truck routes behind Nelson Drive.

The demolition project is part of the Housing Master Plan, which calls for the renovation and construction of residence halls on South Green. The anticipated total budget for the project is $2.5 million. The demolition of Fenzel, Martzoff and O’Bleness is part of Phase II of the plan, which the Board of Trustees voted on in October.

In the first phase, Cady Hall, Foster House and Brough House were demolished in the summer of 2016. That project cost about $1.6 million. The halls’ former location was used as a green space after demolition was complete.

Additionally, construction on the Sook Academic Center, set to be located directly in front of Peden Stadium facing South Green Drive, will begin in August and is expected to be completed in August 2018. The center is planned to be an academic facility for student-athletes only.

Robertson said the construction phase of the project will cost about $4.3 million, according to a previous Post report.

In addition to those two projects, a chill water line will be connected to Ping Center. Chill water lines use water instead of air to cool a space.

“This capability will provide cooling backup should the Ping Chiller fail,” Steve Wood, associate vice president for facilities management and safety, said in an email.

The budget for that project is $1.4 million. As a result of the work, the Ping parking lot from the roundabout to the loading dock will be closed until June 9.

Construction throughout the summer will result in some areas inside Ping being closed off. The locker rooms will be sporadically available, though there will always be restroom access. Due to the annual steam outage from May 8 to May 19, Ping does not have air conditioning or hot water . However, cold water, drinking fountains and restrooms are available.

Several on-campus parking lots and sidewalks will be closed for repair throughout the summer, and several projects on College Green will continue during summer.

Those projects include exterior work on McGuffey Hall, repair to the retaining wall and a high-voltage electrical upgrade to Cutler Hall, as well as repair to the brick walkway between McGuffey and Wilson halls.

Summer construction projects are scheduled to be finished by Aug. 15 when possible.

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