Ever since the semester commenced, the University of Massachusetts Boston has been adamant on keeping the student and staff body informed as construction plans begin or continue on or around campus. Many of you have probably received a few emails of news alerts and construction updates since the winter break, giving information on most things you may need to know.
The most significant project occurring on campus at this time is the “Renovations to Existing Academic Buildings” project, also known as REAB. Renovations have started in select areas and sections of McCormack and Wheatley halls, which are both in dire need of improvements. There are also plans for work to be done on the Healey Library and the Quinn Administration Building later this semester.
Some of the work includes demolition of asbestos in McCormack and Wheatley halls and demolition within McCormack Hall’s Ryan Lounge and the 3-201 suite. Besides the academic buildings, we have also seen construction being done all around campus on things such as walkways and corridors.
As all these projects on and around the campus occur, safety is the school’s number one priority. In a recent construction update sent out by the administration, it was stated, “Consigli, the construction management firm working for the UMass Building Authority (UMBA), has begun ‘make-safe’ work as they prepare for demolition and abatement. As always, and throughout the REAB project, the safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors is the university’s primary concern.” The update then goes on to explain the ways in which the project is being monitored and controlled for safety, such as the fact that, “A licensed abatement contractor, along with trained and licensed workers, will conduct all abatement work,” “High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered fans will be used to control airflow so [that] no air can migrate out of the work area,” “Third party–licensed project monitors from Environmental Health and Engineering will oversee the containment and conduct air monitoring before, during, and after abatement,” and “Containments will be completely isolated from surrounding spaces and HVAC-systems” and so on.
As expressed above, there are some new and exciting things happening at UMass Boston. The campus is constantly growing and changing, and as the body of UMass Boston, we should be aware of these projects, whether they’re new or old. I believe that the school has been doing a better job at keeping us updated and informed, which is greatly appreciated, especially as what happens to this campus directly affect us.
I encourage you to stay informed and involved with the projects occurring at UMass Boston. If you want to know more on construction projects at UMass Boston, information can be found in the News section of UMass Boston’s website. There are also larger things happening on campus, and if you would like to know more on the grand scheme of things, UMass Boston’s 25-year plan, and information surrounding it, it can be found on the website, under “25-Year Campus Master Plan.” This section gives more details on the long-term goals the school has and what projects are in the pipeline for the future.