Summer construction update

New buildings are rising on the Health Sciences Campus, construction of a Welcome Center will soon begin on the main campus, a new outdoor gathering area is being created at Hinman College and a field at the Bearcats Sports Complex is being resurfaced.

And these are just some of the projects shaping the summer construction season at Binghamton University.

“We have a great mix of projects going on, representing both large and small improvements,” said JoAnn Navarro, vice president for operations. “The completion of renovations in Science 4 and the Science 2 tower mean better facilities for students, faculty and staff, and repairs to infrastructure — while not as visible — are no less vital and keep the wheels turning behind the scenes.”

With the foundation in place, steel framing is underway at the Pharmacy R&D building in Johnson City. The steel work will wrap up later this summer for the 18,000 square-foot building that will support the research efforts of the adjacent School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences when it is completed in early 2023. Just one block away, the foundation is going in for the Ford Family Wellness Center for Seniors. When it opens late this year or early next year, the center will provide primary healthcare and holistic health and wellness services for older persons.

Two other projects improving science buildings are nearing completion: the renovation of the west half of Science 4 and the renovation of the Science 2 tower. Both projects involved updates to critical infrastructure along with new classrooms, labs, offices, conference rooms and gathering spaces. These facilities will be ready for use this fall.

The Bartle Library third-floor renovation project is also progressing with removal of old mechanical equipment, asbestos abatement and demolition of heat exchangers and other equipment. New mechanical equipment will arrive this summer. The third floor is being transformed into an innovative and inviting space for study, teaching and research that will include areas for quiet study, collaborative work, instruction, research and our unique collection. Work is expected to wrap up in 2024.

Along the main campus entrance, construction activity for a Welcome Center and renovation of the Information Booth will begin soon. Once the project is complete, visitors have a place to stop as they enter campus to get their bearings and freshen up. Work is expected to last about 18 months.

In residential communities, new sitting walls and a patio space will be built adjacent to Hinman Dining Hall. The “Hinman Hills” project will also feature new signage and plantings. On the other side of campus, a major renovation of Old Rafuse Hall will begin later this summer. The project involves asbestos abatement, installation of new mechanical equipment (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, fire alarm, telecom), new windows and roofing. Existing bathrooms will also be gutted and reconfigured. Rooms and corridors will receive new flooring, doors and lighting and a new wheelchair lift will be installed. Lot B, adjacent to the building, will be expanded and new landscaping will include a walkway, making pedestrian travel to the Admissions Center and other destinations easier and safer. A number of other small projects from painting to masonry repairs to tub and boiler replacements are underway in various residential communities.

Less visible projects that make sense for summer work include infrastructure upgrades for the Academic Complex and the Events Center/West Gym, as well as a boiler plant project to reduce load on the Central Heating Plant, deactivate some high-temperature hot water lines and provide heat and hot water to the Events Center and West Gym.

Finally, repairs to the parking structure are underway including deck, ceiling, drainage and curbing work, several roads and parking lots are being repaved, site lighting improvements are taking place at a number of locations and athletes will have a new playing surface at the Bearcats Sports Complex with the resurfacing of the main game field.