The University of Memphis will undergo several construction projects and renovations during the next two years.
One of the projects, a parking garage located on Southern Avenue, has not yet begun construction, despite current preparations.
Tony Poteet, assistant vice president of campus planning and design, said the project has begun and is “progressing well.”
“All of the MLGW work that is occurring now on Echles, Southern, Normal, Spottswood and Houston is the first part of the project,” Poteet said.
Poteet said MLGW is rerouting electrical, gas and water around the structural components of the project and out of the way for the bridge. They will also install new lighting on Southern Avenue as part of the project and “Telecom and Data lines” are also being rerouted.
Construction for the new parking garage was intended to begin in October 2016, but it was pushed back until bidding was approved. The garage will cost $18.6 million and will be a general access garage with 1,140 spaces and five stories, as previously reported by The Daily Helmsman.
Although preparations for the project have begun, construction will not start until April, Poteet said.
“A portion of the footprint of the garage was cleared with demolition of the Printing Services building, and the re-bar for the footings, the brick, the pre-cast component shop drawings have been ordered,” Poteet said. “The lot should be closed in April to begin drilling the foundations.”
Poteet said the whole front portion of the lot between Echles and Houston Streets will be closed to begin construction on the new parking garage.
“We are keeping it open as long as we can, and we will give an email message as well as posted signs as soon as we have the exact date,” Poteet said.
In addition to the new parking garage, construction of several other projects, like the pedestrian bridge and amphitheater, are planned for the near future.
“The bridge and amphitheater are part of the parking garage project and are all under the same contract with Flintco, and the work will progress over the next two years,” Poteet said.
The construction for the pedestrian bridge was intended to begin in October 2017, with construction planned to last one year, as previously reported by The Daily Helmsman.
Poteet said other construction and renovation projects include updating the 12th floor of Wilder Tower, a new music center, a Patterson Street realignment, a natarioum, a new football practice facility and a new recreation center.
Although several projects are set to begin construction during certain time frames, Poteet said the design and construction of the projects have many moving parts and all have a specific process.
“Getting the process correct, within budget and with a great design that is sustainable, pleasing and functional to the students for the life of the project is much more important than when things start or get finished,” Poteet said. “We try to move all of our projects through the process as fast as possible, but do not sacrifice quality for the sake of time.”
Other ongoing campus construction projects:
Updates to 12th floor of Wilder Tower
The design for the floor will be done by Urban Architecture and should take four to five months to design. The construction will also take four to five months after bids.
New Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music
The building is being designed by Archimania and will progress until next summer. Bids will then be taken for construction.
Patterson Street realignment
The design for the project is complete and is being done by the City of Memphis. The city is getting ready to bid, and property transfers are in process. Work should start next spring.
Natatorium
Funds from the state will become available June 30. A designer will then be selected, and design and construction will go on for the next two years.
New football practice facility
Turner construction is preparing to proceed on this project.
New recreation center
The design will proceed this year with Askew Nixon Ferguson and will proceed with construction next year.
The construction area right in front of the Gather on Southern apartment building. Tony Poteet, assistant director of Campus Planning and Design, said the parking garage on Southern Avenue should begin construction next month.
