SPRING FLOWERS
What a beautiful spring on the SIUE campus!  The blooming trees and shrubs dress up the campus wonderfully and the next two to three springs hold even more promise as the new plantings grow stronger and bloom.  To respond to phone calls from folks who would like to see the blooming white, magenta and pink trees at their homes, the following information is included: 

Growth Habit: Upright-spreading, dense branches
Flower color: Crimson buds opening to deep pink flowers
Landscape Value: Ornamental crabapples are an outstanding group of small flowering trees for landscape planting. Few other trees or shrubs approach the beauty of a crabapple tree in full flower. They are valued for foliage, flowers, fruit, and variations in habit or size. Crabapples are suited for home, grounds, schools, parks, commercial and public buildings and highway plantings.
At maturity: 25' high, 25' wide

Growth Habit: Multi-stemmed large shrub or small tree with a rounded top of many small branches. Medium growth rate, elegant in winter.
Landscape Value: Will tolerate full sun or partial shade and rarely requires pruning. Very pleasing in a naturalistic planting, blends in well on the edges of woodlands or near ponds, blends into shrub borders especially with evergreen background.
Leaf color: Fall color from yellow to apricot-orange. One of the finest small trees for fall coloration; however, may color and drop leaves early in the fall.
At maturity: 15-25' high, with a variable spread
Additional note: Rumor has it that serviceberry pie ranks in the first order of desserts

Growth Habit: Medium growth rate. Usually a small tree with the trunk divided near the ground forming a spreading flat topped to rounded crown. Often referred to as "a native tree with a touch of class." Does well in many soil types except permanently wet ones. Will tolerate full sun or light shade. Effective as a single specimen, in groupings, or in the shrub border; especially nice in woodland and naturalized type situations.
Leaf color: Fall color can be an excellent yellow. Flowers open in March-April and last for 2-3 weeks. 
At maturity, 20-30' high with 25'-35' spread.

Remaining buildings:

NORTH UNIVERSITY ROAD CLOSING UPDATE
Work on North University has slowed; cold weather has caused the closing of asphalt plants.  However, the weather next week looks promising and the completion date of April 13, 2007, remains probable.

MASONRY RENOVATION
Some people may recall the masonry renovation project of last year.  The contractor had planned to complete the work by early December, but the cold winter stopped him before he could.  Thus, winter went by with brick and mortar dust on walls, piles of bricks around, and other debris remaining from the work.  The contractor has promised to be on campus April 9th to finish his work; hopefully, it will be complete before graduation.

MASS RELAMP
Update April 8, 2007:  Lamps are currently being changed in the Science Building Lab Wing; the office wing is complete.  Work has moved a little slower as the electricians encounter more ballasts that need changed as well as lights.  Naturally, since the re-lamp started 18 months later than scheduled, there will be “hot spots” where lamps have already burned out.  Electricians will continue to address these problems; report any dark spaces to Customer Service at 3711.

SCIENCE BUILDING
Update April 8, 2007:  A meeting with the architects and lab designers is being scheduled for the end of April.  Principally, the discussions and review will be centered on the proposed laboratory layouts.  Some discussion of the classrooms and faculty offices may take place if time permits.  Once the laboratories are generally determined, the architects will begin to determine locations of the departments including classrooms, faculty offices, the laboratories and related spaces.
 
EAST ST. LOUIS HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER (ESLHEC)
Update April 8, 2007:  The grill exhaust hood is properly collecting smoke and cooking odors in the cafeteria.  Some adjustment of the fresh air supply will complete the fan work.

Another contractor on campus to pour some new concrete sidewalks at the flagpoles has been delayed by the unexpected cold weather; the weather forecast calling for rain next week could also prevent his work.

The window contractor is waiting for delivery of the replacement windows in mid to late May.  Once the spring semester is completed, the contractor will begin preparations to remove the existing windows and install the replacements, working in 4 to 6 rooms at one time.

The 100% Review Documents for the exterior enhancement project are being reviewed by CDB and the University.  This project will enclose the two stairwells in Building A, tuckpoint exterior brick walls including repair or replacement of the window steel lintels, repair the bad wall leak over the cafeteria, and replace the clerestory glazing in Building C.

Shop drawings have been submitted and approved by the architect and the order for the replacement windows has been placed.  However, the order does have an 8 to 12 week delivery schedule which will delay work until the current semester is dismissed.

100% Review Documents have been submitted by the A/E to the University and CDB for review.  This project will tuckpoint the brick walls, fix a bad wall leak above the cafeteria, replace the clerestory windows in Building C, and enclose the open stairways in Building A.  Barring unexpected corrections or changes, current plans call for the documents to be out for bid in April with construction to start sometime in June.

ADA PROJECT
Update April 8, 2007:  The general contractor has begun excavation of the foundation and partial basement for the elevator addition to Building 8280 on the Alton Campus.  A brick to match the existing was selected only to learn that the supplier had bad information on the availability of that brick.  Supposedly it was immediately available, but when the order was placed, it was learned that the brick would not be manufactured until late July.  To keep the project moving, another brick will be selected.  The electrical contractor is starting in the Vadalabene Center on the fire alarm system; he is mobilizing by getting space for storage, scoping out the building and the work to be done, and ordering materials.
    
MISCELLANEOUS GIR/MOD PROJECTS
Update April 8, 2007:    A number of General Improvement Requests (GIR) poured into the Facilities offices as a result of the Chancellor’s release of contingency monies and other project finances.  FM is working hard to develop those estimates as nearly 30 requests came in at one short time period.