2008 Woodie Awards
UI project just chilling
Melanie Kucera - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 3/10/08 Section: Metro
One year is almost up and still no completion.
The expected 2 1/2-month North Chilled Water Crossing Project has turned into an almost 12-month ordeal because of unforeseen challenges.
The project's final date has been moved to May, officials said.
"We expect the project to go smoothly at this point," said Rodney Lehnertz, the director of planning and designing construction for UI Facilities Management.
He also said officials are "relying" on good weather conditions at this point.
The project began in March 2007, and officials believed the project would be completed by June 2007, when a cofferdam buckled on May 16 causing work to screech to a halt.
Working with cofferdam companies took time and patience.
"Part of the challenge was getting crews in there to one, evaluate and fix the dam failure, and then to actually get the new cofferdam stablized," Lehnertz said.
In addition to the cofferdam troubles, the harsh winter added to the delay.
"Because of the cold weather, high snow levels, and high runoff of melting snow, we are sort of at the mercy of the weather conditions and the flows of the Iowa River," Lehnertz said.
Last year's high water levels made it extra difficult for the work crews, he said.
With another "cooling season" approaching in April, the university has sought out temporary chillers.
"Because [the cooling project] is not going to be ready, we are forced into a situation where we are going to have to bring in temporary chillers," said Glen Mowery, the director of utilities and energy management UI Facilities Management, noting that the renovation of the Chemistry Building is adding an "additional load" to buildings that need cooling.
Though Mowery did not know the exact cost of the chillers offhand, previous chillers have cost the university around $400,000.
Both men said that despite the delays, there would be little additional cost to the roughly $7 million original price tag.
The expected 2 1/2-month North Chilled Water Crossing Project has turned into an almost 12-month ordeal because of unforeseen challenges.
The project's final date has been moved to May, officials said.
"We expect the project to go smoothly at this point," said Rodney Lehnertz, the director of planning and designing construction for UI Facilities Management.
He also said officials are "relying" on good weather conditions at this point.
The project began in March 2007, and officials believed the project would be completed by June 2007, when a cofferdam buckled on May 16 causing work to screech to a halt.
Working with cofferdam companies took time and patience.
"Part of the challenge was getting crews in there to one, evaluate and fix the dam failure, and then to actually get the new cofferdam stablized," Lehnertz said.
In addition to the cofferdam troubles, the harsh winter added to the delay.
"Because of the cold weather, high snow levels, and high runoff of melting snow, we are sort of at the mercy of the weather conditions and the flows of the Iowa River," Lehnertz said.
Last year's high water levels made it extra difficult for the work crews, he said.
With another "cooling season" approaching in April, the university has sought out temporary chillers.
"Because [the cooling project] is not going to be ready, we are forced into a situation where we are going to have to bring in temporary chillers," said Glen Mowery, the director of utilities and energy management UI Facilities Management, noting that the renovation of the Chemistry Building is adding an "additional load" to buildings that need cooling.
Though Mowery did not know the exact cost of the chillers offhand, previous chillers have cost the university around $400,000.
Both men said that despite the delays, there would be little additional cost to the roughly $7 million original price tag.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Grammer Poleese
posted 3/10/08 @ 9:12 PM CST
"...would be at"?!!! Your participle is dangling! Doesn't anyone check these? I don't think that MS Word will let you end a sentence with a preposition. (Continued…)
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