Crews Work To Build, Update, Repair ECU Infrastructure | Eastern North Carolina Now

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

    As students, faculty, staff and visitors navigate East Carolina University's campus this summer, they are all but guaranteed to encounter construction crews working to keep buildings and infrastructure up to date and in working order.

    Summer is the busiest time of year for facilities crews, said John Fields, director of ECU facilities engineering and architectural services. With fewer classes being held and fewer students on campus, it's the best time to complete projects while minimizing the impact of the disruption they cause.

    Fields said more than $450 million in projects are under way or in the planning stages right now, from the $55 million southside expansion at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium to a new $90 million life sciences and biotechnology building.

    "There are big projects and small projects, all important to the mission of the institution," Fields said. "Some of them are visible and under construction, while others are not visible but planning is in progress. Some are not glitzy but they are vital to keeping the campus functioning."

    There are approximately 100 projects ongoing across main campus, some of which will impact vehicle and pedestrian traffic and access to buildings and parking lots, said Ricky Hill, interim executive director of facilities services.


Trustees Way is one of several streets on campus affected by construction and repair projects this summer. It is expected to reopen by early June. (Photos by Cliff Hollis)

    "We ask in advance for your patience and cooperation while we are performing these critical projects to improve our campus infrastructure and buildings," he said. "Please respect and avoid areas identified as construction areas for your safety."

    Road and sidewalk closures

    Some of the impacted roads and sidewalks include but are not limited to:

• Trustees Way near Garrett Hall will be closed to traffic through early June for replacement of sanitary sewer lines.
• After Trustees Way reopens, Faculty Way, including the sidewalk on the north side, will be closed from early June until mid-July for sanitary sewer line replacement and work on a generator near the Jenkins Fine Art Center.
• Portions of the parking lot between Jenkins and Garrett will be closed while the roof of Jenkins is replaced; completion is expected by mid-June.
• The replacement of steam pipes will result in sidewalk closures and detours near Mendenhall Student Center through mid-August.
• The sidewalks between Bate and Graham will be closed through early June for upgrades to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• Parking near Speight Building will be impacted through mid-August for repairs to pipelines for steam and chilled water.
• Sidewalk access between the Brody School of Medicine and ECU Pediatrics will be affected by a repair project through early June.

    Major Building and Renovation Updates

    All major projects are on track for their scheduled completion dates, Fields said. They include:

• The main campus student center construction to be completed in September 2018;
• Clement Hall renovations, scheduled for completion by Aug. 1;
• the southside expansion project at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, which will begin in September with behind-the-scenes prep work and be completed by Aug. 1, 2018;
• and the construction of the life sciences and biotechnology building funded by the Connect N.C. bond package. The building is in the design phase with construction expected to begin in July 2019.

The new student center on 10th Street is beginning to take shape and is on track for completion in the fall of 2018.

    Recently completed projects include the Health Sciences Student Center, which opened May 1, and the fourth floor of the ECU School of Dental Medicine.

    Other future projects include the renovation of Greene Hall, scheduled for September 2018 through Aug. 1, 2019; and the construction of a new student services facility at the corner of Fourth and Reade streets, designed to combine connected services into one central location and free up campus buildings for academic purposes.