Thursday, February 11, 1999
Kerckhoff renovation cramps offices
PROJECT: Occupants set for relocation because of postponed
construction
By Neal Narahara
Daily Bruin Contributor
The third-floor occupants of Kerckhoff Hall will move downstairs
this April in preparation for its overdue renovation.
"Planning for (the Kerckhoff project) started over six years
ago," said Mike Otavka, facilities director for the Associated
Students of UCLA (ASUCLA).
The renovation was originally scheduled to be finished by the
summer of 1996, but was delayed due to disputes with construction
officials over increased costs.
"It was like a ship that ran aground," project manager Curt
Ginther said. "The contractor-architect-owner relationship
deteriorated."
As a result of the disputes, the university severed its
relationship with the contractors Ray Wilson Construction, and
Widom Wein and Cohen Architects in May 1997.
Construction on the $30 million project was halted after
completion of only the first floor and did not resume until a new
architect and contractor were hired in September 1998.
"We hope to finish everything in December 1999," Ginther
said.
When the second-floor renovation is completed in mid-April, all
offices located on the third floor of Kerckhoff will be temporarily
relocated to slightly smaller offices on the newly opened second
floor.
"It will be more squeezed for all of us," said ASUCLA Executive
Director Patricia Eastman, whose office will be among those moved
from the third floor to the second floor.
"There will be more people fitting into less square feet, but
it’s a necessary move," she added.
The renovation, which includes both seismic retrofitting and
improvements to meet fire codes, will also affect offices for the
undergraduate and graduate student governments and student advocacy
groups.
"It’ll be more difficult (in the smaller space) but we’ll keep
doing what we’re doing," said Mike de la Rocha, general
representative for the Undergraduate Students Association
Council.
Facilities Director Otavka is planning one week of packing prior
to moving offices, and three days during which university-hired
movers will move the offices to the second floor.
"(Recently) I’ve been going to those offices, taking inventory
on furniture and letting people know that the move will be
happening in mid-April," Otavka said.
Kerckhoff Hall is currently in the second and final phase of
construction, which has been in progress since early October.
The first phase of construction included the renovation of the
first floor and installation of 132 base isolators under the
building, designed to minimize building movement during an
earthquake.
The current phase started with the second floor, and it will
continue with the fourth and fifth floors once the second floor is
complete.
During the renovation, central heat and air conditioning systems
will be installed on each floor.
According to Ginther, the university made some consideration for
student use of the building in deciding to do the retrofit in
stages.
"It’s always faster to work on an entire building at one time
than on an occupied building in phases," Ginther said. "But you
can’t put the function of student (activities) in a building on
Wilshire. We wanted to keep that activity in the center of
campus."
According to Otavka, the second floor has been unoccupied since
1997.
The original occupants of the second floor were ASUCLA
administrative offices, including its finance and human resources
divisions. The floor was also the temporary home to Student Media
while the first floor was being renovated.
ASUCLA administrative offices will reclaim the second floor once
the project is complete.
Costs for the retrofitting are being almost entirely paid for by
a yearly $113 life and safety fee that was levied on students.
According to Eastman, ASUCLA is funding a small portion of
construction costs to add extra electrical and data outlets to the
building.
"I’m just anxious to finish the project," Otavka said. "It’s
been a number of years and it’ll be great to see the building
completed."PATIL ARMENIAN/Daily Bruin
Kerckhoff Hall is currently undergoing the second phase of
renovations, including seismic upgrades.
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