SIP Construction

Oberlin College has embarked on the third year of the four-year Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP) that will replace fossil fuels with geothermal energy as the source of heating and cooling for campus buildings, along with upgrading the century-old heating system to an efficient hot water and chilled water system. This work will account for the college’s most significant carbon savings as it makes strides towards its goal of carbon neutrality by 2025.

Geothermal well drilling will begin next week in the north practice fields. Distribution and building conversion work this year will be focused in the area north of West Lorain Street, between Woodland Street and North Professor Street, and extending across Professor to Stevenson and Kahn Halls. Another big milestone this year will be the installation of a heat recovery chiller in the Central Services Building.

The transition provides the additional benefits of reducing Oberlin College’s water use by more than five million gallons per year, reducing sewer discharge by more than four million gallons per year, and adding air conditioning to 11 more campus buildings. The college will also take the opportunity to expand fiber networks, expand fire protection capabilities, and upgrade mechanical and electrical systems on campus.

Please note that North Professor Street will remain closed for the next few weeks. The first closure is off the northeast corner of Barnard House, and should end next week. After that work is complete, the second closure will be off the northeast corner of Severance, and should also last approximately seven days.

Maps

Wayfinding May 29 – June 4, 2023
Contractor Parking Plan Summer 2023

Week of May 29, 2023

Road Closures and Traffic Disruptions

  • North Professor Street will be closed off the northeast corner of Barnard early this week, and then off the northeast corner of Severance later in the week.

Wayfinding, Signage, and Fencing

  • Sidewalks around Severance Hall will be closed.
  • Sidewalks on the north and east sides of East Hall, and east sides of Barnard and Wright Physics (west of Professor Street) will be closed. Some sidewalks north of East Hall will also be closed. The area east of Burton and south of Bailey will also be closed off.
  • The area on the south side of the Science Center will be opened back up. Access across Lorain Street will be open at the Professor and Woodland crosswalks, but the mid-block crosswalk will remain closed.
  • Please view the wayfinding map to confirm your preferred routing in these areas.

Site Prep and Staging

  • The construction team is utilizing work and laydown areas in the following staging areas, which are protected by fencing:
    • At the Central Services Building parking lot on the east side of the building.
    • Around Severance Hall.
    • In the quad south of the Science Center and on the north side of Science Center.
    • South of Bailey House.
    • South of Zechiel House.
    • South and north of Stevenson Hall.
    • East of Carnegie.

Abatement

  • Selective abatement will be occurring in the buildings listed in the Building Conversion section.

Building Conversions and Improvements

  • Renovation work will continue in Cox Administration. Campus leadership has been relocated to Carnegie and Daub House.
  • Building conversion work will continue in Severance Hall, the Science Center, Hales Gym, Noah Hall, Burton Hall, Barnard House, East Hall, North-Langston, Zechiel House, Bailey House, Stevenson Hall, and Kahn Hall.

Distribution Pipe Installation and Plant Conversion

  • Distribution construction will continue on the east sides of Barnard and Wright Physics, the north and east sides of East Hall and Severance, the east side of Burton Hall, and the south side of Bailey House. Restoration and sidewalk installation will continue on the west side of North Professor Street.
  • Distribution pipe will be installed to serve Stevenson and Kahn Halls. This will include a closure of North Professor Street for the early part of this week.
  • After the Stevenson/Kahn closure of North Professor Street, the road will be closed to accommodate replacement of a sewer pipe off the northeast corner of Severance.
  • Some additional potholing will be occurring around the Allen Memorial Art Museum.
  • Construction will continue in the Central Services Building.

Geothermal Well Field

  • Land preparation will continue at the north practice fields, and geothermal well drilling will begin.

Parking

  • Contractor parking will be in the Willard Court Lot, the Hollywood Lot, the Athletics Lot, the Stevenson Lot, the North Professor Street Lot, and in the Hales Gym Lot.

Week of June 5, 2023

Road Closures and Traffic Disruptions

  • North Professor Street will be closed off the northeast corner of Severance.

Wayfinding, Signage, and Fencing

  • Sidewalks around Severance Hall will be closed.
  • Sidewalks on the north and east sides of East Hall, and east sides of Barnard and Wright Physics (west of Professor Street) will be closed. Some sidewalks north of East Hall will also be closed. The area east of Burton and south of Bailey will also be closed off.
  • The area on the south side of the Science Center will be open. Access across Lorain Street will be open at the Professor and Woodland crosswalks, but the mid-block crosswalk will remain closed.
  • The area on the east side of North Professor Street between Stevenson Hall and Kahn Hall will also be closed.
  • The sidewalk on the south side of Lorain between Wilder Hall and the Finney parking lot will be closed. The north-south sidewalk in that area will also be closed to allow truck traffic into the Wilder Bowl.
  • Areas in the Wilder Bowl will be fenced off to accommodate some warranty valve repair work.
  • Please view the wayfinding map to confirm your preferred routing in these areas.

Site Prep and Staging

  • The construction team is utilizing work and laydown areas in the following staging areas, which are protected by fencing:
    • At the Central Services Building parking lot on the east side of the building.
    • Around Severance Hall.
    • In the quad south of the Science Center and on the north side of Science Center.
    • South of Bailey House.
    • South of Zechiel House.
    • South and north of Stevenson Hall.
    • East of Carnegie.

Abatement

  • Selective abatement will be occurring in the buildings listed in the Building Conversion section.

Building Conversions and Improvements

  • Renovation work will continue in Cox Administration. Campus leadership has been relocated to Carnegie and Daub House.
  • Building conversion work will continue in Severance Hall, the Science Center, Hales Gym, Noah Hall, Burton Hall, Barnard House, East Hall, North-Langston, Zechiel House, Bailey House, Stevenson Hall, and Kahn Hall.

Distribution Pipe Installation and Plant Conversion

  • Distribution construction will continue on the east sides of Barnard and Wright Physics, the north and east sides of East Hall and Severance, the east side of Burton Hall, and the south side of Bailey House. Restoration and sidewalk installation will continue on the west side of North Professor Street.
  • Distribution pipe will be installed to serve Stevenson and Kahn Halls.
  • North Professor Street will be closed to accommodate replacement of a sewer pipe off the northeast corner of Severance.
  • Construction will continue in the Central Services Building.
  • Excavation will begin at three locations in the Wilder Bowl to accommodate some warranty valve repair work that will start in mid-June.

Geothermal Well Field

  • Geothermal well drilling and land preparation will continue at the north practice fields.

Parking

  • Contractor parking will be in the Willard Court Lot, the Hollywood Lot, the Athletics Lot, the Stevenson Lot, the North Professor Street Lot, and in the Hales Gym Lot.

Wilder Hall Construction

Beyond the SIP, construction in Wilder Hall continues. Work in May will include subfloor work in the basement, 1st floor, and 2nd floor, wall framing on the first floor, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing through the building.

Please be aware that heavy equipment is active and on campus throughout the day. Safety is our highest priority, and we ask for your help to ensure everyone is paying attention and alert while walking through campus.

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