Facilities News for August 2008

• Marine Research Building Complex

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  This project involves the demolition and replacement of three outdated laboratory buildings with a new research complex. This complex includes a new 71,000 square foot scientific research building Andrews Hall and a 46,000 square foot seawater laboratory. W.M. Jordan started construction in August 2005. A final certificate of use and occupancy was issued for the Seawater Research Laboratory on April 2, 2008. VIMS occupied Andrews Hall in January 2008.  The contractor continues to work on repairing the punchlist deficiencies so that VIMS can apply for the final certificate of occupancy which will give VIMS unrestricted use of the building. Both buildings are scheduled to be dedicated in October. Brooke, Byrd and Davis Halls and several other buildings will be demolished by the end of 2008 or beginning of 2009.   The area will remain as Greenspace.

• Field Support Center

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  The project involves the construction of a 10,000 square foot facility located at the Gloucester Point Campus. This facility will replace the current vessel operation's facilities and field support infrastructure which was severely damaged as a result of Hurricane Isabel. A construction firm has been contracted to provide pre-construction services. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2009.

• Improve Information Technology Infrastructure                                      

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  The project involves the modernizing of VIMS' aging information technology infrastructure to meet increasing demands for information exchange including systems to carry voice, data, and video. The Gloucester Point campus is vulnerable to lightning strikes and this project has completely replaced the original copper network with new high speed fiber optics to prevent damage to expensive and sensitive network hardware. Distance learning capabilities have been completed for the Gloucester Point and Wachapreague campuses. Construction to improve the air conditioning and power requirements for the Watermen's Hall network server room was completed. New servers were purchased.  Along with networking Andrews Hall and the Seawater Research Laboratory, VIMS will extend 24x7 networking capability to existing campus buildings, such as Chesapeake Bay Hall and the Fisheries Science Laboratory.  New redundant fiber installations will result in a highly available, modern campus network infrastructure.                                                                                                                      
• Construct Concrete Pier

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  The project replaces two damaged wooden piers (Oyster Pier and Ferry Pier) with a new concrete pier on the VIMS Gloucester Point shoreline. This pier will house pumps and intake lines to provide 800 gallons per minute of treated seawater. The elevation of the pier will be set at 12'.5" feet above mean lower low water. A location for the pier has been chosen based on a report from the A/E.  Geotechnical work is complete. A Design-Build team has been selected.  Test piles were driven in August and construction is planned to be complete in March 2009.
• Electrical Upgrades, Chesapeake Bay Hall

  This project involves upgrading the electrical distribution system at Chesapeake Bay Hall. The building's present electrical system does not provide the type of clean power needed by some of the sensitive electronic lab equipment and instrumentation used in modern research. The project will install transient voltage surge suppression and other improvements to the grounding system, the neutrals, branch circuiting balancing, power quality monitoring and installation of a central UPS system for critical emergency power loads. The equipment matrices inventorying the lab equipment by room was completed by VIMS in February 2008. The A/E's field work is complete, and he is working on the design.

• Maury Hall Renovation

  This project will be supported by the raising of private funds to renovate a 50-year old 6,400 square foot outdated laboratory into functional meeting and conference space for the campus. Planning for the project is on hold until sufficient funds have been raised.

• Research Storage Facility

  The project involves the construction of a 4,600 square foot facility that is needed to secure research equipment and instruments that are currently stored outdoors. VIMS will hire an A/E and begin planning soon..

• Eastern Shore Seawater Laborator 

          The project supports construction of a new 8,000 square foot laboratory building with running

          seawater for research on coastal marine ecology and aquaculture in a high salinity environment.

          A proposal for an Environmental Impact Report has been solicited.  Construction is projected to           commence in 2010.

• Miscellaneous Projects
• The following maintenance reserve projects are active:
• Planning
  Structural Repairs, Hoxton Hall - Design Complete - construction bids on hold.
  Various Roof Replacements                                                                                      
• Under Construction
  Replacement of HVAC compressors for Chesapeake Bay Hall South Wing and             replacement of Chesapeake Bay Hall roof-top condensers are nearing completion.