Construction Update

Waterproofing on buildings F & J will be complete very shortly. This project involved demolishing brick veneer on all sides of the building, pinning unstable brick back to the structural wall with stainless steel anchors, installing waterproofing membranes, and rebuilding the exterior of the building, including the planters. The next stage of our waterproofing program involves P, H & K buildings, and this package is getting ready for public bid at present.

You can already see another native garden installation taking shape quickly on the J terrace. Some of the plants include three types of roses, Belinda’s Dream, Knockout and Martha Gonzales. Also featured are pink skullcap, Mexican mint marigold, cross vine, Confederate jasmine, Blackfoot Daisy. A few of the grasses are Mexican feather grass, maiden grass and variegated sedge brass. The featured cactus is the thornless prickly pear.

The renovation in T building for the nursing program is moving along very smoothly towards occupancy by early summer.

Fire alarm rezoning is progressing with the most visible changes in the J hall area. A new smoke exhaust system is being installed in J and the creation of fire separation zones are evident by the roll- down doors appearing at various locations. New alarm and strobe devices will be in almost every room. The next month or two will begin to involve the Emergency Response Team in updating evacuation procedures.

Major maintenance on mechanical systems is just beginning. This involves repairs to nine air handling units and updating the technology that maintains the building environment. Upon completion, the energy management system will monitor building area occupancy, carbon monoxide, temperature and humidity levels and automatically adjust to deliver optimal air quality.

Construction of the south parking lot will start shortly after you read this article. The area between T building and the golf course will be transformed by the end of summer to provide about 400 parking spots. This project also involves repairing a section of our water main that runs under the South Loop Drive. Upon completion of the new south lot, a new fire lane will be built behind the pool and into the courtyard area between F & H. This will mark the first phase of rebuilding and expanding the north parking areas.

Interior finish replacement will begin within two months. This variety of work includes science lab benches and flooring replacement and replacement of carpet and door hardware in several areas. The gym will see a section of water-damaged floor replacement and new bleachers.

This represents the most prominent type of work involved in $14 million dollars worth of reinvestment in NLC’s infrastructure. The Maintenance Tax Note funding mechanism requires funds to be spent by fixed arbitrage dates to avoid penalties on unspent values. The intense volume of work the campus is currently experiencing will escalate for the next three to four months and continue for about a year. The campus community deserves a huge thank you for the cooperation and support we are getting to make this work possible