Ohio State has nine construction projects, each with budgets of more than $4 million, under way.
Of those nine, OSU has been closely monitoring two of the projects in particular to make sure “actions are being taken to keep (the projects) on track,” according to the Board of Trustees Finance Committee April 4 meeting agenda.
OSU is keeping an eye on the East Regional Chilled Water Plant project for time. The project’s intent is to build a chilled water plant that will connect the buildings in campus’ academic core area that are not served by the McCracken Chiller Plant. The plant will first connect the new Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Chemistry Building before connecting others.
The Board approved the design in February 2010. Construction began in July and is scheduled to be completed July 2014. The budget is $43 million, funded from university debt, according to the Board meeting schedule.
Lindsay Komlanc, spokeswoman for Administration and Planning, said in an email the plant’s construction is being watched because of its connection to the new CBEC Building.
“In the case of East Regional Chilled Water Plant, schedule is especially crucial and under watch because the plant will provide chilled water for air conditioning for the CBEC building, which is scheduled to be completed in 2014, so we will do everything possible to ensure this project stays on track in order to support the CBEC building when it opens,” Komlanc said.
The Sullivant Hall and Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum project is being watched for budget, according to the Board meeting schedule.
The project aims to renovate Sullivant Hall so that it can house the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum and to renovate and improve the dance and art education departments’ spaces. It will also upgrade a 300-seat theater and lecture hall and create a new home for the Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise and for the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design.
The Board approved the project in June 2009. Construction began January 2012 and is set to be completed in October. The project’s total budget is $31.6 million, funded from state appropriations, development funds, Arts and Sciences general funds and libraries general funds, according to the Board meeting schedule.
Komlanc said Sullivant Hall is being watched for budget because of its size.
“In the case of Sullivant Hall, we know from experience that there are many unknowns in large-scale renovations such as this. We want to avoid or manage any risk of the project going over budget, so again, we will watch all budget items closely,” Komlanc said.
All of the projects are on track, according to the Board meeting schedule.