Project Team

Project Management

Ron Nayler, Associate Vice President for Facilities Management
Bonnie Humphrey, Director of Facilities Management Design and Construction
Kory Burton, Project Manager
Mary Fitzsimmons DeRuntz, Project Consultant

Architect: Hitchcock Design Group

General Contractor: Raffin Construction

 

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Project Description & Statistics

The Technological Institute Main Entrance Plaza provides a front door to both the McCormick School of Engineering as well as many of the sciences in Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.  The entrance plaza provides a subtle change in elevation from the sidewalk to the elevated 1 st floor entrance and originally was conceived as an elegant progression through a series of gentle steps that at first separate the pedestrian from the sidewalk at a low plaza and then through several other stairs and plazas culminating at the front entrance doors which are flanked by allegorical bas-reliefs by sculptor Edgar Miller depicting man's ongoing efforts to conquer nature.

During the 1970's the original entrance plaza was paved over to create a continuous sloped plaza from Sheridan Rd. to the main entrance.  At that time, the existing bridges, stairs and foundation walls were simply covered over by dirt to create a new base for the brick and precast pavers.  The resultant condition at the bridges which span the moats at the building entrances caused severe deterioration of the structure.  During summer 2007, the structure of the bridges was replaced.  In addition, the moat walls were tuck-pointed and repaired.  Temporary paving at the entrance bridges and stairs was installed until funding was made available to reconstruction the entire plaza.

The plaza paving was in deteriorated condition and required replacement.  In addition, the plaza lighting levels were in need of improvement.  The reconstruction project will improve conditions at the Tech entrance plaza, remove the bike parking from the plaza and provide alternate means for students to post flyers on kiosks.  The project will also improve accessibility, provide improved areas for social interactions and a greater sensitivity to the original building architecture.

The Construction logistics presents a challenge since three major building exits are located on the plaza.  During the reconstruction we will maintain approximately half of the entrance doors available for exiting at all times.  The attached drawings illustrate the various construction phases for the project.

Completion Date: December 2008

 

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Project Phasing

Please click HERE to view the project phasing. ( PDF)

 

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