Building a Better Campus

Updated May 19, 2017

Improved electrical and telecommunication infrastructure, updated electrical equipment, heating, water and sewer upgrades are all in the cards thanks to a major campus construction project set to begin May 2017. Set in and around Sturges Quad, the $10M project will also give the surrounding sidewalks and landscaping a face-lift, while preserving the historic and much-loved icons: The Seuss Spruce and the Painted Tree.

“We have made a whole host of campus improvements over the past ten years through building renovations or additions,” said Dave Norton, associate director of facilities planning and construction. “Projects like the Integrated Science Center, Bailey Hall, Doty Hall, Letchworth Dining Hall, Monroe Hall, Seneca Hall and the College Stadium have addressed the growing needs and interests of the Geneseo community. But now the time has come to invest in the underground infrastructure that supports those buildings and facilities. This project will do exactly that.”

With the design phase nearly complete and the bidding process coming up in December, construction is expected to begin in May 2017 and completed in October 2018. Stretching from Schrader Hall to the west all the way to the Integrated Science Center to the east, and from University Drive to the north all the way to College Drive to the south, the project will cover a large section of campus acreage and be conducted in a series of seven construction phases. Most phases will overlap, decreasing, as much as possible, disruption to the campus.

• Phase 1: May to August, 2017: Upgrades begin in the area between Clark A, around the Heating Plant and up through the south side of Sturges Hall.
• Phase 2: May to August, 2017: The area on the north side of Clark B and stretching toward Lot P and Lot PP.
• Phase 3: June to August, 2017: The west side of South Hall as well as a large section of South Hall quad, and the side east of Erwin Hall and Wadsworth Auditorium.
• Phase 4: June 2017 to August 2018: The main walkway south of Blake Hall between Erwin and Sturges Hall.
• Phase 5: August 2017 to August 2018: Sturges Quad.
• Phase 6: May 2018 to August 2018: The area stretching between Blake Hall and the Integrated Science Center, and the area on the east side of Newton Hall.
• Phase 7: August 2018 to October 2018: The area stretching between University Drive and Blake Hall.

During each of the construction phases, building entrances will be closed and alternate entry points will be made available. The same applies to pedestrian walkways as some areas will be closed off for construction.

In addition to replacing underground utilities and improving site surfaces, the project will also upgrade various outdated building main electrical equipment such as switchgear, transformers and switches. Buildings scheduled for power interruptions include Clark A, Heating Plant, MacVittie College Union, Sturges Hall, South Hall, Welles Hall, Fraser Hall, Wadsworth Auditorium, Erwin Hall, Blake Hall, Newton Hall, Lauderdale Health Center and Jones Hall. To keep these buildings operational during the three to four weeks it will take to replace these buildings’ main electrical equipment, temporary external generators will be strategically placed on campus to provide alternate power. Some short power outages of about 3 to 4 hours will occur when the temporary generators are deployed or removed.

A more visible part of the project will include the replacement of old asphalt sidewalks and pathways with new concrete walkways. When all the new underground utilities are complete in the Sturges Quad, the area will undergo a major layout redesign that will include new pathways and create a more attractive central campus green space. The Seuss Spruce and the Painted Tree will remain key focal points of the area.

“The project area is particularly large and we will all experience inconveniences during the construction operations,” said Norton. “But we will be working hard with the various contractors to minimize the impact of construction activities as much as possible. Some of our underground systems are 50 to 60 years old so it’s only a matter of time before we have major challenges. By investing the energy and resources into the project now, I believe we will improve the campus experience for current and future students, parents, alumni and visitors to the Geneseo well into the future.”

The project is funded by New York State through the State University Construction Fund (SUCF).