All Up From Here | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: The author of this post, Jamitress Bowden, is a contributor to ECU News Services.

Construction for Gateway East and West progressing on schedule

    Foundation preparation for the newest residence halls, Gateway East and West, has begun and project completion is scheduled for July 2015.

    Gateway East and West will be the newest addition to East Carolina University's campus living as they replace Belk Residence Hall and will house 720 students.

    Aaron Lucier, director of housing operations at ECU, said campus living officials are now accepting bids from subcontractors, moving along to the next milestone for the project. Once secured, that will allow ECU to give the order to start construction.

    To begin cleaning the site, the debris from the demolition had to be separated and recycled. A recycling requirement was in place because of the project's classification as a LEED project, according to Gina Shoemaker, assistant director of Facilities Engineering and Architectural Services.

    Shoemaker manages the project and explained how the foundation will be prepared in the near future.

    "The foundations are auger cast piles – think giant hollow drill bit. After the hole is drilled down to a depth of approximately 55 feet, grout is pumped into the hollow part of the drill bit as it (the drill bit) is being pulled out. Once the bit is removed, reinforcing steel is placed into the hole and the grout," said Shoemaker.

    The foundation for the new buildings requires 635 piles. Over the next eight months, the exterior of the building will appear as the pile caps, structure, roof trusses and exterior brickwork are completed, and a structure more closely resembling a new residence hall will take its place on College Hill Drive.