Throughout the summer, Facilities Management’s Design and Construction team was hard at work making sure that projects were staying on schedule, while also anticipating and designing upcoming projects to make the campus even better for staff, faculty, and students.

Several projects were completed over the summer, while a few continue into the fall.

All Buttoned Up

Hill District Site Improvements

The areas surrounding the Corliss Pump (at the corner of Cherry Street and Ferst Drive) and the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building (Tech Tower) have been refreshed with new landscaping, improvement of the hardscape, and more outdoor seating. The final touches, including sod and mulch, will be installed in the fall to ensure that the heat does not affect the fresh vegetation.

Environmental Health and Safety Building

Multiple units under Facilities Management’s Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) department moved into a new home at 793 Marietta Street. This adaptive reuse project transformed an old armored truck transfer station into a cutting-edge space for EHS that includes offices, a training room, and a custom-designed materials management space. The new space gives the department room to grow and meet the needs of Tech’s continuously expanding research enterprise. 

Techwood Drive Pedestrian Improvements

Techwood Drive is now safer for pedestrians with wider sidewalks, improved crosswalks, and better lighting. The small improvements will make a big difference in pedestrian traffic flow when football season kicks off.

Nearly Complete

Boggs Classroom Improvement Project

The latest phase in classroom improvements in the Gilbert Hillhouse Boggs Building is expected to be completed by early September. This includes major updates to the auditorium to provide students and faculty with a better learning environment. The work also improves accessibility and refreshes and enlivens support spaces around the auditorium.  

Atlantic Promenade

Along Atlantic Drive, the need for utility repairs provided an opportunity to also improve the appearance and pedestrian experience at the Atlantic Promenade. The project will be complete toward the end of the fall semester and will include new walkways, seating areas, and landscaping. 

Ferst Drive Improvements at Hemphill

This summer, Ferst Drive got a complete makeover to improve both the appearance and function of the road and its intersection with Hemphill Avenue. The road underwent paving, new landscaping, and safety improvements. To prevent traffic disruption, the reconfiguration of the Hemphill intersection is being completed in small increments. The full functionality of the new intersection will be complete by November.

Tech Green 

After being out of commission for six months, Tech Green is finally green again. Both the grass and the drainage have been improved, but the fences will not come down until the new turf is firmly rooted. Fencing will remain up to prevent heavy foot and event traffic from damaging the turf and root system, particularly through the colder months. 

Just Beginning

West Campus Dining Commons

Design is complete and construction has started on this new building, which will house five new eateries including local food, Mediterranean, Italian, and allergy-friendly options. Environmentally friendly features will include water reuse, a high-efficiency building envelope, and dedicated space for landfill diversion activities such as pre-consumer recycling and a food bio-digester. The project is anticipated to be complete in the 2017–18 academic year. 

Van Leer Interdisciplinary Design Commons

Construction on the Van Leer Interdisciplinary Design Commons will begin in late September. This project will transform the two-story rotunda of the Blake R. Van Leer Building into a shared space for education, collaboration, and research serving the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Georgia Tech makers and innovators. The project is expected to be finished in early 2018.

Library Renewal: Price Gilbert and Crosland Tower

After much anticipation, the renewal of the Price Gilbert and Crosland Tower Libraries is moving forward. Library staff should be moved into the Library Resource Center on Marietta Street by the end of September. The renovation is not expected to be completed until 2020, but the Library will remain as functional as possible over the course of the project to minimize the effect on students. Expect to see construction fencing being erected in November as interior demolition begins on Crosland Tower. The end result
will be an innovative library of the 21st century.  

As a reminder, resource sharing with Emory University began over the summer. Learn more about the project at renewal.library.gatech.edu.