Construction and Renovation Updates
July 27, 2011

New Residential Center

Web Cam

The very tall crane (close to 170’) has been on campus to assist in the setting of the pre-cast floor beams and pre-cast floor planks to make the second floors of the seminar building and the three residential buildings, as well as the roof for the senior resident apartment.  In mid-August, a 4” topping slab will be poured on top of the 10” floor planks, where the radiant heating will lie.  FYI, the crane will be on-site until August 2 or 3rd, and then back again in September to help place the roof planks. 

Beginning July 25, some walls will continue to be built up to the top of the 2nd floor and parapet level.  The other walls will begin to grow the following week.  Shortly thereafter, around the beginning of August, the interior framing of the first floor rooms will begin to take form, allowing plumbers and electricians to begin running the pipe and wiring needed. 

On July 29th, the cornerstone of this building project will be placed.  This polished stone, made out of local New Mexico sandstone, will be engraved with the year and will serve as part of the seminar building. 

In other news, windows have been ordered, and a new boiler will arrive in a few weeks in order to provide heat to the lower dorm area by the end of September.  Backfill work continues at the west end of the project and underground utility work is complete for now (these lines will be tapped into the buildings in late summer).  The connections to the water collection cisterns are complete, so when/if there is more rain, the college can catch up to 20,000 gallons of water!  Overflow will be directed to retention ponds, where the water will slowly seep into the ground.

The building structures of this LEED Silver residential center, including walls, glass, and roofs, will be complete and heated by mid-November, at which time crews will move inside to do the interior work.  Rooms are slated to be open for use in summer 2012.

Crews may be on campus before 8:00a, however “beeping” movements and other large equipment noise will not start up until 8:00a. Note that large vehicles will be entering and exiting campus from Camino Cruz Blanca, using the main entry road, and the road to Lowers.

Aerial View of Staging Area
Upper Floor Plan
Lower Floor Plan
Seminar Building Lower Floor Plan
Seminar Building Upper Floor Plan
Site Plan

The Betty and Norman Levan Hall

Levan Hall, home of the St. John’s College Graduate Institute is complete.  Staff and tutors are moved in and classes are taking place. 

Levan Hall was planned as a LEED Silver Certified building.  However, it is likely it will reach a Gold level certification!  The official certification will take several months. 

Below are current pictures of the building.

Levan Hall floor plans (Adobe PDF documents):

Lower level
Main level
Top floor

Irrigation Work

Near the entrance to campus, new irrigation pipes have been installed to service the plantings along the road and sidewalk leading to the SAC driveway.  A new automatic watering system is in use on the soccer field, and is working well.

Photos of Summer 2006 Hardscape Renovation and Fishpond Repair:

Fishpond Placita Facing the Bookstore	Upper Placita Outside ESL	Placitas and Pond with Working Waterfall

Click here for past construction updates