Welcome to the winter issue of Construction Quarterly. As the spring semester begins, we continue to see the transition of our campus through essential construction projects. We invite you to watch the Princeton Builds video highlighting the historic growth of our campus. In this issue you will learn what you can expect to see happening on campus during this semester, updates of ongoing and completed construction projects, ways to stay informed about changes and how to get around campus. We also focus on our sustainability efforts at the heart of our Campus Plan and our Sustainability Action Plan.

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Princeton Builds: Historic Growth on Campus

Princeton is engaged in a period of historic growth on campus. Facilities Associate Vice President Dozie Ibeh walks us through some of the history and context of Princeton's growth from the 1750's to the present day.

As part of construction for the ES & SEAS project, the University’s construction manager, Whiting-Turner, is preparing to move 91 Prospect from its existing location adjacent to Bobst Hall, across Prospect Street to a new location adjacent to 114 Prospect Avenue.

A section of Prospect Avenue between Olden Street and Murray Place (see map below) will be completely closed starting Wednesday, February 1, 2023, until Tuesday, February 28, 2023. 

University prepares to move historic 91 Prospect building (princeton.edu)

Excavation to support the lower levels of the facility is on-going as a support of excavation concrete wall is being poured at the perimeter of the Prospect Ave side of the site. Placing of concrete for foundations continues to shape the structure of the new buildings. You will also see the 2nd tower crane installed at the end of January which joins the first tower crane installed in early December 2022.

Demolition of 1938 Hall has completed and excavation of the site to prepare for foundations began in December 2022. Over the next few months, shaping and pouring of new concrete foundations will start followed by the installation of structural steel and mass timber beams beginning later this spring.

Structural demolition of buildings continues on site in preparation of Geo-Exchange drilling which began in January. Geo-Exchange drilling on Whitman Lawn has completed with the exception of horizontal drilling below Elm Drive which will tie the Whitman Lawn site to the Hobson site by later this spring.

Preparations for the construction of Butler Interim Dining on the south Whitman Lawn are ongoing. Interim Dining construction is anticipated to start in April 2023.

The site development of Meadows Neighborhood is in progress which includes continued installation of utilities such as storm water drainage and installation of electric, water and site lighting to support the final buildings on the site. Preparation of roads, curbs, and pathways in select areas on site is underway with continued progress on the cross-country course with the installation of plantings amid the course.

Meadows Graduate Housing

The exterior wood framed structure of the buildings has taken shape through the fall and you will start to see the installation of exterior building components including roofing, windows, and fiber cement siding. As the building enclosure continues, construction will move to interior fitout of the spaces which will include drywall, flooring, paint, wall coverings and ceilings. Mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection installation is well underway as a part of the interior fitout.

Racquet Center

With the installation of concrete foundations well underway this fall and continuing into the winter, the Racquet Center structure has taken shape as steel frames were installed in large court area of the building which was followed by the roof's insulated metal panels. This will be followed by exterior metal panels, glass and interior fitout installation. Structural steel and exterior framing of the “bar” building (closest to Meadows Graduate Housing) will also progress into the spring in preparation of exterior finishes.

Meadows Parking Garage

The structure of the parking deck levels is complete with the construction of the exterior closure including roofing, glass, fabric screening and canopies and interior construction including interior walls, finishes, signage, lighting and electrical devices continuing in the spring.

CUB

With structure of the CUB building complete, the exterior construction to enclose the building continues with the installation of metal panels and standing seam roofing. Interior finishes and installation of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection will continue through the spring.

Happy 100th Birthday 200 Elm Drive!

Photos courtesy of Mudd Library

200 Elm Drive which currently houses Princeton's Department of Public Safety and Facilities Office of Capital Projects is a century old!

200 Elm was built between 1921 and 1923 and functioned as the "Boiler House" (shown in the picture above) where the coal that was used to heat the campus was stored and heated using three original boilers (shown in the picture to the right) with a fourth boiler added later in 1929.

We celebrate 200 Elm's 100th birthday as we transition away from combustion-based heating and cooling!

Princeton's campus is actively reducing its carbon footprint with the installation of a Geo-Exchange Hot Water Distribution system in order to phase out nonrenewable energy sources, including natural gas burned today to produce steam heat and electricity and replace it with Geo-Exchange systems which use a heat pump to store and retrieve heat from the earth similar to a thermal piggy bank.

Projects Completed

© Christopher Payne/Esto

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