February 2021: During the extended semester break, the contractors were able to complete the final two spaces on the interior of the Imig addition. The two performance spaces are now complete and ready to host students when they return in February. The last remaining portion of the project will wrap up in the spring when the landscaping and sod can be completed in the warmer weather. Thank you to the entire team for their hard work in getting us to this point!
October 2020: The College of Music has moved into the new addition as of August of 2020! There are two spaces that are still under construction, but those will be wrapped up and turned over to the university in the coming months. The contractor is making significant progress on the site work, and the majority of that should be completed in November. It has been exciting to see the new building in use over the past month!
July 2020: The addition project will begin to wrap up next month as the fall semester approaches. The majority of the building will be ready for the College of Music to occupy for the first day of classes. The exterior masonry work is nearly complete at this point, and the installation of the roof tiles is progressing. The interior spaces continue to be a focus for the contractor as the finishes are being installed in the recital, ensemble, and dance spaces. Another sign of progress is the arrival of the new furniture beginning in late July. The exterior site work began last month and will continue through early September.
April 2020: The construction on the Imig addition is continuing to progress, and the team is on track to move the College of Music into the building this summer. The stone masons are continuing with the detailed stonework that occurs on all four sides of the building. Interior work has been moving forward with the primary efforts focused on the large recital, ensemble, and dance spaces. Final finishes including paint and tiles are becoming common throughout the spaces. The upcoming month will see progress on installing the roof tiles, and the beginning of utility connections at the site.
February 2020: Progress on the Music addition continues. Stone masons work their way around the building to complete the exterior envelope. The teal color is a water proofing membrane that must go on prior to the stone work. Many of the windows have been installed. Inside the building, drywall is nearing completion on levels one and two and framing and drywall continue on level three. Other interior activities include fire sprinkler installation, bathroom wall tile and mechanical/electrical/plumbing piping and conduit install. In the coming weeks we should start to see wood floor installation. The interior is really starting to take shape.
January 2020: The last year has brought many changes to the project site. The south portion of the building was demolished and excavation was completed early 2019 for the basement, which will house the mechanical systems. The steel structure is in place and each of the concrete floors have been poured.
Due to the acoustical nature of the building, some of the floors contain multiple “jack up slabs”; slabs that were poured over springs and then jacked up to create sound and vibration isolation. This building contains many acoustical details that make the construction very technically challenging. An acoustician (acoustical engineer) visits the site throughout construction to ensure the details are being executed according to plan.
Exterior and interior framing is nearly complete and drywall is being installed on the interior and sheathing on the exterior. Masonry stone work has started on the north, west and south sides. Each stone is hand laid and cut to fit perfectly in place. Our Planning department reviews the masonry weekly for the correct color, size and distribution of the stones. Great care is taken to ensure the aesthetic meets the expectations of our campus.
Mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) work is underway inside the building. The next couple months will bring more masonry in addition to getting started on the interior finishes.
February 22, 2019: On Monday February 4th, the music department hosted a ground breaking ceremony. The event recalled the history of the Music program and the significance of the new space. Mascot Chip, along with the Basketball Band created a lively atmosphere to celebrate the occasion.
With demolition complete, drilling for caisson installation is well underway. Caissons, as well as piers and piles are placed deep underground and will support the structure of the new addition. In the next couple weeks, we will see excavation for the basement mechanical room begin. Shoring (bracing of the walls inside the excavation pit) will be installed keeping the crews safe and allowing for deeper excavation.
January 8, 2019: Demolition is officially underway. The site fence is up and the contractor has mobilized including one of the construction trailers, which will serve as the site office. Site crews are prepping Farrand Field for use as a staging area and various subcontractors are at work inside the building. Over the past couple weeks, crews have been disconnecting the south portion of the building slated for demolition. With temporary walls in place, spray foam insulation will be applied as a thermal and acoustical barrier from the active construction site. In the coming weeks, the entire south portion of the IMIG building will be demolished as we prepare to excavate for the new basement that will serve as the mechanical room for the addition.
December 3, 2018: It is almost time for construction to begin! Construction trailers are slated to be onsite the week of Dec. 26, with construction fences going up around the site soon after. Demolition of a portion of the south wing of the building will begin in early January. The portion of Wardenburg Drive on the south side of the building, which is currently closed for a water line project, will remain closed throughout the Imig project.
