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October 2017 – Community Forum Newsletter

Next Community Forum


Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2018 | 6:30-8 p.m.
S.J. Quinney College of Law, Sixth floor, Room 6500
383 University Street, Salt Lake City

The College of Law is located on the northeast corner of 400 S. and University Street (1400 East), see map.

Free parking is available in the lot to the east of the law building and the Rice-Eccles Stadium parking lot. The university will not be enforcing parking during this meeting. We strongly encourage you to use public transportation, if possible. Take the TRAX University Red Line to the Stadium stop, the Red Route for the university’s free campus shuttles (Carlson Hall stop) and for other public transit options use UTA’s Trip Planner or click the “Transit” option under “Get Directions” on Google maps.

We welcome your attendance, comments, and participation in the discussion.

AGENDA of Next Forum


  • RESEARCH PARK
    Jonathon Bates, executive director, University Real Estate Administration 
  • COMMUTER SERVICES
    Alma Allred, executive director of Commuter Services
  • CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION
    Robin Burr, chief design and construction officer
  • BASEBALL PARK UPDATE
    Department of Athletics representative
  • UNIVERSITY GREEK SYSTEM
    Jess Turuc, director, Office of Fraternity/Sorority

Recap of the Oct. 19, 2017 Community Forum

Chill & Grill Recap

President David W. Pershing and his wife Sandi Pershing along with Swoop, welcomed community members surrounding the University of Utah to the U’s first annual neighbor barbecue. Ruth V. Watkins, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and other U administration were on hand to answer any questions from the public about community issues. Hamburgers, hot dogs, treats and drinks were served. Nearly everyone walked away with U swag from a raffle. Kids played cornhole, kicked field goals, and shot free-throws on the inflatables at the event. Next year’s event will be held near the end of summer.

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CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
Robin Burr, chief of design and construction, University of Utah Facilities Management

Baseball Stadium Update
The site for the baseball stadium has officially been selected. It’s the preferred site from the results of the feasibility study and is the location of the current practice field. The process has been paused in order to assess orientation, acoustics, and lighting to minimize the impact on surrounding neighbors.

Ambulatory Care Complex (ACC)
The foundations for the Ambulatory Care Complex are going in between the Moran Eye Center and the U Hospital, along the connecting footbridge. The new building will contain 50 patient beds, operating rooms, clinics, support areas for surgeries, and staff/faculty areas. The project will cost $131.5 million and be 296,000 square feet. Construction began in February 2017 and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019, with an opening in fall 2019. FFKR Architects, HDR Architects, and Jacobsen Construction are working on this project.

Rehabilitation Hospital
Demolition on the Dumke Health Professions Education Building will begin in November 2017 and the first bid package has been released, which includes the demolition and the beginning of relocations of underground utilities. The façade will be a combination of copper, stone paneling, and large glass windows. The new building’s orientation will create and preserve a new terraced view corridor down into the valley. This project is the second building that will replace the outdated School of Medicine, and will add 75 patient rooms (replacing 28), with a dedicated rehab gym, clinic, and outdoor therapy space. It will cost $95 million for the 150,000-square-foot building. Oakland Construction is working on this project.

Medical Education and Discovery Building (MED)
Health Sciences is currently in the strategic planning stage for its medical curriculum. This will determine what the student body will look like in size, the courses to be provided, staff spaces, specifically looking to build a 50+ year building. Programing is expected to begin in February 2018, as soon as the strategic piece has been completed. Architect, TBD. The university is committed to moving patient visits off campus. The opening of the Farmington clinic has reduced campus patient visits by 50,000 visits per year.

RV Parking Stalls
Due to the construction of the Shoreline Parking Terrace, the RV lot has closed and will not be relocated elsewhere on campus. However, a partnership has been formed with an RV park that now fulfills this need. The Pony Express RV park in North Salt Lake now services our patients and families. Special pricing has been contracted and the information desk can arrange transportation between the park and hospital when needed.

Health Sciences Energy Efficiency Improvements Project
After beginning the Health Sciences Transformation Project, the following were evaluated across the University of Utah Health campus: Square footage to be added to campus; existing heating and cooling utilities; removals and additions to the current utilities plan. After this evaluation, it was determined that current practices must change or the U will have a major expansion of the current utilities plan.

McKinstry, a design and build consultant, was retained to see how the current buildings and plans can be made more efficient with the goal of accommodating campus growth under the current utilities plan, without expanding the footprint. McKinstry surveyed 40 buildings, selected 27 of those, and are now changing out boilers and other equipment/utilities. The U is spending $30 million on these upgrades, which will pay for themselves in less than 10 years in terms of energy savings. Once this project is complete, the focus will be switched to main campus.

Orthopedic Center Expansion
Architectural Nexus and Jacobson Constructions will complete the $15.6 million, 32,300-square-foot expansion of the clinical, physical therapy, and outpatient surgery additions to the current building in March 2018.

Guest House Expansion
Currently in the design process, this expansion will add 30 rooms to the southwest of the existing structure. This is to accommodate families needing to stay longer term with family members in the hospital. The new room will have kitchenettes and living areas so patrons can settle in while they care for family members. Jacobi Architects and Big-D Construction will begin construction in 2018 and finish within the year.

Huntsman Arena Scoreboard
Technology for arenas like the Huntsman Arena is only good for about 10-15 years. The large four-sided center display will be replaced, while corner and angled boards will be installed. Upgrading the controls and technology has been tricky while working around the current athletics schedule. This new technology will create an immersive environment for U students, fans, and alumni attending events. ANC Technologies and North Ridge Construction partnered on this project.

Carolyn and Kem Gardner Building
This new building will have a new ground source, or geothermal, heating and air conditioning system, and a water conservation garden. The water conservation garden is being built and designed in conjunction with Red Butte Garden, and is intended as a learning lab. Water efficient plants and educational signage will be in place. This is also the bottom end of the bio-swell project that will help with water retention and replacement of water back into the aquifer.

The ground source system takes advantage of the Earth’s constant temperature to heat and cool buildings more efficiently. Our system has 150 bore holes and pipes, is 350 feet deep, and is filled with a water based solution that circulates underground to bring it to 52 degrees Fahrenheit. The system will add a smaller percentage of energy back to the system above ground to provide heat for the building. On average, the U expects to save 90 percent heating and 70 percent cooling the building. It will consolidate department space from various locations. The project will cost $67.6 million with construction scheduled to be complete by fall 2018. MHTN Architects and Oakland Construction are working on this project.

USS Utah Bell
The U.S. Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy borrowed the USS Utah’s bell to celebrate Chief Watertender Peter Tomich’s 100th birthday. Tomich earned the Medal of Honor for his actions aboard the ship during the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7, 1941. The bell was transferred to Charlottesville, Virginia, for a long overdue preservation. When it returns, it will be proudly displayed inside the Naval Sciences Building. An unveiling is scheduled on the anniversary of Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, 2017, at 10 a.m. and is free and open to the public.

High Temperature Upgrade
A large infrastructure improvement project in underway to replace and update high temperature water lines through campus. These pipes carry water at approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This water is used to heat buildings, provide hot water, warm the swimming pools, and provide steam to many pieces of equipment on campus. While this is a lengthy and highly disruptive project, it will move through campus in small sections so no one area will be disrupted for more than a few weeks at a time. This project is currently underway near the southwest side of the Marriott Library and in the parking lot to the east of the UMFA. Construction will continue to move through main campus and will complete in the health sciences campus. The whole project is expected to be complete in late 2018.

Storm Water Detention and Retention
A question was brought up about storm water runoff and its effects on the Red Butte Creek. After the storms this summer, the city departments of Public Utilities and Parks & Recreation posted signage about the damage done and their commitment to repairing the erosion damage. University projects are compliant with all storm water management practices. In 2012, the university adopted a standard that exceeds the Salt Lake City restrictive discharge policy relating to storm water management.

Click here to download the PowerPoint version of this presentation.

COMMUTER SERVICES
Alma Allred, executive director, University of Utah Commuter Services

Information Center
A state-of-the-art call center, with expert agents, has been installed at Commuter Services to improve the customer service experience. Agents answer hundreds of phone calls daily with very little wait time. If you need to buy a permit, update a license plate, check the campus shuttle schedule, or get answers to any commuting question, please call 801-581-6415.

The Commuter Services website has also undergone significant remodeling making the user experience easier. It offers information from a variety of departments to help you walk, drive, bike, or bus to the U and outlines the ecofriendly initiatives the U constantly strives to achieve and has a new chat feature.

Removal of Paid Parking Lots
Main campus is now a 100 percent prepay kiosk campus. Research found that more people coming to campus had cellphones in their pockets than quarters to pay for parking. Commuter Services has replaced all ticket booths across campus. Now you can park and pay at any kiosk on campus; or use the kiosks as a point of contact for purchasing more time and validating parking. Under the new system, payment must be made to begin a parking session, not when leaving the pay lot.

New Shuttles
Two Mercedes Benz shuttles will be delivered the end of October. The shuttles are more efficient and aesthetically pleasing than others in the current fleet. Two more electric buses will be delivered in June 2018, bringing the total to three. The trans campus route has been developed and paved, but is not yet up and running due to the shuttle’s low ground clearance and the grade change along the route. The issues are being are being resolved.


ARUP LABORATORIES
Curtis Hansen, ARUP facilities manager

Expansion
ARUP is looking to increase the footprint of its main building on Chipeta way to accommodate growth in its automation needs. The addition will occupy land that is currently a parking lot in front of the main entrance and will be connected with a sky bridge. The new planning and design phase will also look at the current parking lots in that area to create safer pedestrian paths through the various lots. Building 420 may be demolished to replace the parking that will be lost. The addition will be four stories but will be nestled into the surrounding grade so it will match the surrounding buildings. With the new addition and the removal of Building 420, they expect to see a net gain of 140,000 square feet and possibly 300 new staff to support this growth.

ARUP traffic study
In preparation of this expansion, ARUP consulted with Parametrix, which conducted a traffic study. On average, 2,100 cars enter and leave from Research Park every day. Ninety percent of ARUP employees are currently on one of three alternative shift cycles: 6 a.m.-3 p.m., 3-11 p.m., or 11 p.m.-6 a.m. This expansion and increase of new staff will account for about a 1 percent increase in vehicles coming to and from campus spread across those three shift changes. Traffic in the mornings from around 8 to 9 a.m. will not see and increase, nor will the afternoons around 5 p.m.

Click here to download the PowerPoint version of this presentation.


OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY
Myron Willson, deputy chief sustainability officer, University of Utah

The Office of Sustainability is celebrating 10 years on campus and held a Sustainability Showcase in September covering 2007-2017.

Campus Sustainability Rating
The U has been awarded a Silver level rating from the Sustainability Tracking and Assessment Rating System (STARS) a higher education entity. Previously ranked a Bronze, the U plans to resubmit and reach the Gold level in the next few years. STARS has 70 different categories and 150+ fields that are judged. We are increasing our participation in these different areas all the time and expect to reach the Gold level soon.

Long-term Clean Energy Investment
The U has put out an RFP, and is receiving great responses that will be finalized and then moved to the Public Services Commission for a 10 megawatt off-campus solar project in Toole County. It also includes a 20 megawatt, true geothermal, project is Soda Lake, Nevada. This project will connect to the hospital substation and will supply the campus with up to half of our total energy consumption with clean and renewable energy. If this project is completed, the U will be the largest university buyer of long-term clean energy. This agreement will be at no extra cost over the 25 years of the agreement.

Research Park Solar Arrays
Three sites in Research Park have new solar arrays, a combination of ground, rooftop, and parking canopy, totaling nearly 2.5 megawatts that are now live. This power purchase agreement allowed the U to purchase these arrays at zero out of pocket costs and fixed rates fort the 25-year term, after which ownership reverts to the U. Power savings for each site: 729 Arapeen, 52 percent from ground, rooftop and parking canopy, 383 Colorow, 40 percent from rooftop and parking canopy, 295 Chipeta, 17 percent from rooftop array.

Merrill Engineering Solar Parking Canopy Array
A new parking canopy, roughly 3 megawatt, is being planned at the Merrill Engineering Building. Approval from the state building board is required before construction can begin.

Presidential-level Committees
Committees on energy, water, transportation, waste, and investments have been formed to bring in collaborator across campus and disciplines to better plan for the future.


Ginger Cannon, active transportation manager University of Utah

Transport/Travel Demand Management (TDM)
A committee of faculty, staff, and students has been formed to apply TDM strategies to reduce travel demand on the existing infrastructure. Providing options and incentives to get people out of their cars like, telecommuting and bike and car sharing. Creating a mobility hub, location to be determined, that will increase services to get on and off campus. Increasing signage and wayfinding and incentivizing active commute trips and providing ample and secure bike parking and properly enforcing it. Finally, the committee is looking for funding sources to pay for this as there are government funded opportunities available.

Click here to download the PowerPoint version of this presentation.