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New Building Opening Fall 2010
The new Student Dining and Residential Programs Building (SDRP) and residence hall are the first phase of a larger Ikenberry Commons redevelopment plan, in which each of the Champaign residence halls will be replaced.
Ikenberry Commons includes the area surrounded by First and Fourth Streets, and Gregory and Peabody Drives in Champaign. The new construction is being built to meet LEED Silver Certification standards for environmental sustainability. The residence hall wing will house 150 residents, including residents with physical disabilities from Beckwith Residence Hall.
News
Partial Lane Closure on Gregory Drive November 18-20 (updated 11/13/09)
From Wednesday, November 18 through Friday, November 20, there will be a partial lane closure on Gregory Drive (between Second St. and Third St.). Traffic will still be open in both directions with minimal disruption, and flaggers will direct traffic. The closure will allow workers to clean windows on the new residence hall.
Weekly Deliveries & Increased Truck Traffic (updated 11/13/09)
Food service equipment is now being delivered on a weekly basis, which will bring increased truck traffic. As always, please be mindful when walking through the area, particularly on Euclid Street.
Bike Loops & Interior Work (updated 10/28/09)
If you've walked by the construction site recently on the Euclid Street side, you have probably noticed all of the black bike loops near the SDRP entrance. Soon our workers will be anchoring the bike loops into the ground. There may be some noise when workers are drilling into the ground (remember, if the noise does get loud, we have earplugs at the Garner and Snyder front desks). Carpet installation has started and will be ongoing throughout the SDRP and residence hall.
"Finishes" Phase Begins (updated 9/24/09)
Since most of the concrete sidewalk work has been completed, there is a lot less noise in the neighborhood. (Remember, if the noise does get loud, we have earplugs at your front desk.) The project is now in the "finishes phase," which means more decorative work is happening, such as installation of ceramic tile, ceiling tile, coverplates for outlets, doors, and hardware. Within two weeks we expect to being installing carpet!
Tour the Construction Site (updated 9/14/09)
See firsthand what the new building looks like! Group tours will be starting this Friday, continuing throughout the semester. Some spaces are still available for the November tours. UPDATE: The tours are now full! Thanks to everyone for their interest. If we schedule more, we will advertise them here and via email.
Ike Facts Posted (updated 8/27/09)
How many cranes does it take to make a building this size? What's the average number of construction workers on site each day? And how did Montana granite end up in our basement? See the new Ike Facts page for great construction project trivia.
Sidewalks & Interior Work (updated 8/18/09)
Welcome back to campus! A lot of important work has been completed over the summer—check out the photo gallery to see how the building is coming together.
While many of the new concrete sidewalks have been completed, more hardscape work still needs to be finished and will continue into October. This work may be noisy at times (from scraping the ground and the sound of beeping trucks) and may create some dust in the area. We are working to get this completed as soon as possible to minimize the inconvenience. Residents who live in the area can request a set of earplugs from their front desk to help with the noise, if needed.
On the inside, workers are currently busy installing ceramic tile, painting, wiring for card access, and doing electrical, plumbing, heating, and ventilation work. Additionally, the SDRP is being fitted with terrazzo flooring. It's looking amazing and we're getting excited for next year's opening!
Stay Updated with Facebook and Twitter (updated 8/6/09)
Now you can get your construction news in more than one place. If you're already on Facebook, become a fan of University Housing. If you want instant updates sent to your phone, sign up to get our construction tweets by texting follow ikeconstruction to 40404 (standard rates apply). Or you can follow along on the web at www.twitter.com/IkeConstruction.
Euclid Sidewalk Reopening August 14 (updated 8/6/09)
The construction fence along Euclid Street will be moved back on August 14, which will allow access to the sidewalk. The fence will remain in this position for the duration of the construction project.
Summer Work and Clark Hall Access (updated 4/29/09)
Starting on May 18, the construction fence will be moved closer to Clark, Barton, and Lundgren. Lot E-20 (near Weston) will be limited to six parking spaces, except during move-in 2009 and move-out 2010. Since the construction fence will block off a portion of Euclid, Clark Hall will only be accessible from Fourth Street. The Euclid sidewalk will be accessible again after August 15, 2009. Motorcycle parking will be available at the bicycle rack on the south side of Lundgren, which can be accessed by the sidewalk between Clark and Lundgren. Bicycle parking will be available in the racks north or south of Barton. View a map of the summer work. (pdf)
End-of-the-Semester Updates (updated 4/29/09)
As the semester draws to a close, here is a summary of what to expect in the next couple of weeks. Work could begin on demolition for a portion of Euclid Street. There may be some jackhammering, which could cause occasional noise. Workers have been given permission to begin drywall installation at 7 a.m., but the work is interior, primarily at the centermost portion of the dining building. You might hear the sound of screw guns as the drywall is being installed. Exterior work on cranes and lifts will not begin until 7:30 a.m. Steel erection will begin on the new residence hall in the area facing Garner Hall. While this work is not expected to create excessive noise, you might notice the sound as steel beams are joined together. We thank everyone for their patience and apologize for any disruption the noise may cause.
Construction Slideshow (updated 4/27/09)
Watch a slideshow of the construction progress as it moves from a large dirt pit into an elegant structure. (pdf)
Possible Sunday Work (updated 4/3/09)
Weather permitting, work will continue on Sunday, April 5 on the roofs of both the dining hall and residence hall. Noise will be minimal, and workers will access the buildings from the north (the Gregory Drive side), away from Weston and Garner.
Increased Truck Traffic, Drainage Work (updated 2/18/09)
As weather improves, workers will be starting on drainage/underground storm water piping, particularly around Euclid. You can expect to see more trucks and backhoes entering and leaving the Euclid gates, so please be mindful as you are walking in the area. The noise level may be a bit louder than usual. You may also hear some noise from the lifts being used for window work and the washing/spraying of the new brick walls.
Project Overview
Located at Gregory Drive and Euclid Street, this first phase of construction includes the Student Dining and Residential Programs Building (SDRP) and a new residence hall. The SDRP will house Ikenberry Dining Hall. The residence hall wing will house 150 residents, including students with physical disabilities from Beckwith Hall.
Once the new dining hall is complete, the Peabody and Gregory dining halls will be demolished. Over a period of several years, we plan to replace each of the Champaign area residence halls. We will share information about the future construction schedule as details are confirmed.
Work Hours
Exterior work will begin no earlier than 7:30 a.m. Saturday work can be expected throughout the semester, but we will notify you if there will be any work done on Sundays.
Updates & Contact Information
You can stay updated by checking the Housing website's construction announcements (visible from the University Housing homepage or any hall main page). When we have news or important construction information to share with you, you will be contacted by email and/or through posters displayed in your hall. Be sure to look out for these updates. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.
If you have questions or concerns, you can talk to your RA or RD, check the website for construction updates, or use our online form.
LEED Certification
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) organization provides a rating system to certify buildings for their commitment to environmental sustainability. Our workers will use low-VOC materials in the new building (improving indoor air quality), will use local materials whenever possible, will recycle materials to reduce landfill waste, and will work to make the building energy efficient.