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Events to Celebrate the End of Suzzallo Renovation and the 75th Anniversary of the Suzzallo Library

• Photos of reopening events, September 23, 2002

• 75th Anniversary Celebration, November 14, 2002

Work Scheduled for July-August 2002

• Complete new data cabling system for the 1925 and 1935 wings

• Install wiring and carpet in the Reading Room

• Complete finish work and clean all surfaces in 1925 wing

• Complete renovation of elevator 90

• Complete commissioning of mechanical systems in 1925 and 1935 wings

• Begin moves back into the renovated spaces

• Remove asphalt and re-landscape along the south side of the 1935 wing

Work Scheduled for Spring Quarter, 2002

• Install carpet and clean all surfaces in the Reading Room

• Complete tuckpointing of the 1935 exterior

• Replace earthquake damaged terra-cotta on the exterior of the 1925 wing

• Complete finish work in the 1925 wing

• Complete punchlist work in the 1935 wing

• Begin elevator renovations

Work Scheduled for Winter Quarter, 2002

• Complete historic Caen plaster reconstruction in the Reading Room

• Complete stone anchorage in the main West Entry

• Complete upper balustrade reinforcement

• Complete office finishes in the 1935 wing and octagon area

• Start-up of mechanical and electrical systems

• Complete new data cabling system for the 1963 wing

Renovation passes halfway point!

In August 2001, Suzzallo Renovation entered its second and final year of construction. We are now over halfway through this large-scale seismic and life-safety construction project.

Changes in Suzzallo Library for Fall Quarter 2001

• Suzzallo Circulation has moved to the First Floor of Suzzallo (one floor directly above previous location).

• Library Cashier is now located on the First Floor.

• Change machine has moved to the First Floor, near the Circulation Desk.

• Lockers and carrels are available for graduate students on the Fourth Floor. Sign up at the Library Cashier's Desk, First Floor of Suzzallo.

• Dewey Decimal 800s and 900s books are back on the Fourth Floor (returned from their temporary location at Sand Point).

• Suzzallo Reference remains on the Ground Floor.

Construction Work for Fall 2001

• On exterior, seismically anchor brick and stonework at West wall

• Reinforce upper balustrade on roof and rebuild terra-cotta finials

• In the Suzzallo Reading Room, rebuild the corners, following the completion of the seismic braceframe work

• Paint Grand Stair Hall

• Install new data cabling in 1963 wing

• Begin commissioning process of mechanical systems

July - September 2001 Construction Work in Brief

(Be sure to check out the July 2001 Suzzallo Renovation Newsletter for more detailed information.)

• Rebuilding of the cast stone and historic plasterwork continues in the 1925 building.

• In the 1935 building, interior walls, doors, and ceilings are being constructed.

• New stairs and ladders are installed.

• Seismic bracing inside the 1963 building continues on floors 1 and 3, with Ground and Basement bracing to begin in late September.

• Electrical conduit, cable trays, electrical panels, ductwork, and piping work continue.

Construction Activity for Spring Quarter 2001

• Installation of the "batwing", the overhead bracing in the ceiling of the Grand Stair Hall that will seismically connect the Reading Room to the octagon.

• Addition of seismic braces in the 1963 building.

• Masonry reinforcement at the West exterior wall of the 1925 building.

• Seismic bracing work continues at the North and South ends of the Reading Room.

• Mechanical ductwork installation in the 1935 building.

• Mechanical and electrical equipment installation continues throughout.

• Fire alarm and fire sprinkler installation throughout.

Impacts of the Earthquake

The Seattle earthquake occurred at 10:55 a.m. on Wednesday, February 28th, 2001, and within 10 minutes Turner Construction had confirmed that all workers were safely out of the construction zones in the Suzzallo building.

The structural engineering firm for the project, Skilling, sent staff in to complete a review of the building in order to note any structural damage. Construction work was suspended until this review could be done.

The occupied area, the 1963 wing of the Suzzallo Library, was examined first, and within two hours it was determined that this wing could be re-occupied.

On March 1st, the structural engineers began a review of the entire 1925, 1935, and 1947 parts of Suzzallo. These are the areas currently under construction for the seismic retrofit. The goal was to determine which areas, if any, were unsafe for workers to return to; and, following that, to design the appropriate fixes for damaged areas.

The engineers discovered that three areas needed immediate attention:

1. At the West Entry to the 1925 section, four finial caps on the roof had substantial damage. Three of the finial caps came loose and fell 70 feet to the exterior porch of the West Entry. The structural recommendation was to cordon off the entire West Entry until all 11 finial caps can be removed or braced in some way, down to stable material. Until this work is done, three of the subcontractor trailers outside the West Entry cannot be occupied, and the West Entry will not be used by the contractor.

2. In the Reading Room on the 3rd floor of the 1925 wing, there was noticeable movement of the north and south arches. A separation of approximately 3/4" is apparent where the cast stone meets the Caen stone. The structural engineer advised that this problem posed little structural danger but that it would be wise to undertake the already planned work to secure the cast stone to the existing steel columns as soon as possible.

3. In the courtyard between the 1925 and 1935 wings, the structure supporting Room 115A needs to be temporarily braced until the Mechanical Room structural steel installation in this courtyard secures that entire structure. Turner began this work on March 2nd.

There was surprisingly little structural damage overall, and the building reacted exactly the way the engineers expected it to do. All parties agreed that it was extremely fortunate that 60% of the seismic upgrade work had been installed at the time of the earthquake. Had this event occurred a month ago, the damage would have been substantially increased.

Changes in Suzzallo Library Services for Winter and Spring Quarters Starting in early March 2001, and continuing for approximately one year, the contractor will install seismic bracing in the 1963 building of Suzzallo (see diagram). The work will be done in groups of floors, as follows: Second and Fourth Floors, beginning March 2001 First and Third Floors, beginning June 2001 Sub-basement, Basement, Ground, and Fifth Floors, beginning September 2001 During the construction, these floors will still be accessible to library users, but large portions of the floors, where the bracing is to be installed, will be behind construction walls. To clear the construction areas, we must temporarily remove books, shelving, study furniture, and library staff workstations that fall within the construction zones. The construction areas on the first pair of floors, second and fourth, will be cleared during February, to meet the contractor's start date of March 7th. Most of the study furniture will be moved to storage, and some of the books will be moved temporarily to auxiliary stacks. During April and May, library staff will coordinate the clearing of the first and third floor construction zones. As soon as possible after the construction is completed on a particular floor, shelving will be re-erected around the new seismic bracing, and the books will be returned. Some of the future construction spaces in the 1963 building are occupied by library staff. Over 85 staff members must move to spaces in the Allen Library and temporary facilities at Sand Point. The Allen Library bridge area lounge furniture will be stored temporarily at Sand Point so that heavy study carrels (removed from the temporary staff areas in Allen) can be relocated to the bridge areas for student use. (These particular carrels are too heavy to be moved out of the building.) Suzzallo Library services will continue to operate despite the construction. Library staff will do everything possible to help students, faculty, staff, and visitors use the library and find books and journals. Signage on floors near the construction zones will indicate the temporary locations of books that have been moved. For books temporarily moved to auxiliary stacks, the online catalog will indicate this changed location; use the "request" button to order retrieval of the book. If you cannot find a book, go to the Circulation Desk, Ground Floor Suzzallo, for assistance. Winter Quarter hours for Suzzallo and Allen Libraries have been shortened to allow for the noisiest construction work to be done late at night. The Suzzallo and Allen Libraries close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings during Winter Quarter. Odegaard Undergraduate Library is open 24 hours Sundays through Thursdays.

January - March 2001 Work in Brief

• Frame and pour concrete shear walls in the 1925 and 1935 Suzzallo buildings.

• Begin structural steel work to strengthen columns in the Reading Room, from the floor to the attic.

• Fabricate structural steel "bat wing" strut that will seismically connect the 1925 building to the octagon.

• Install new structural steel beams in the 1935 building on the 1st and 2nd floors.

• Complete structural work in the 1925 and 1935 mechanical rooms, and install the large air handling units in these rooms.

• Brace the stone arches at the West Entrance of Suzzallo.

October -- December 2000 Work in Brief

• Demolish slab sections and building corners for shearwall, structural bracing, and seismic floor knitting.

• Pour the concrete shearwall footings at the 1925 and 1935 building corners. Form and pour the shearwalls.

• Remove and catalog the original stone for Suzzallo Reading Room and West Entrance.

• Detail and fabricate the structural steel for attic and Grand Stair trusses.

• Continue mechanical and electrical demolition as well as coordination drawings. Begin initial mechanical and electrical installation.

• Remove the windows and construct exterior loading platforms at north and south staging areas.

What has changed in Suzzallo for Fall Quarter?

Suzzallo Library is still open, and all of the services and collections are available. However, in order to clear the construction zones, some units have been compressed, and some units and collections have been moved to different locations. Building signage has been changed to reflect the new locations.

The floor plan shows the individual sections of Suzzallo Library. Under construction right now are the 1925 and 1935 wings and the 1947 section, as well as the octagon area. The 1963 wing remains open.

The West Entrance to Suzzallo has closed and is now behind construction fencing. Instead, everyone must enter Suzzallo through the Allen Library doors.

Suzzallo Reading Room is closed for the duration of the construction. However, we have posted color photos of this historic space.

Fall Quarter Hours for Suzzallo and Allen Libraries have been shortened to allow for the noisiest construction work to be done late at night. The Suzzallo and Allen libraries will close at 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings during Fall Quarter. However, the Odegaard Undergraduate Library is open 24 hours Sundays through Thursdays.

Construction Progress, July through September 2000

Phase 1 of the Suzzallo Library Renovation Project, the seismic upgrade and renovation of the 1925, 1935, and 1947 building wings, began on July 27th. The contractor, Turner construction Company, mobilized its offices and work forces on the site, set up the fences, cleared and prepared the south staging area, and installed protection over historic finishes in the three older parts of Suzzallo.

The next step was to install the acoustic, dust, and fire separation walls between the 1963 wing and the Phase 1 work.

The subcontractors are now bringing temporary power and water to the site. They are also performing substantial demolition, which will continue through December, so that seismic bracing and concrete shear walls can be installed.

Subconstractors also must dismantle, index, store, and protect the many doors, windows, and light fixtures so that the Suzzallo building will be returned to its original architectural integrity.