General

What is the purpose?

Restore air conditioning and stabilize heating in Eggers Hall. The building's 5th floor water chiller is now out of service and will be replaced by new pipes connecting from Maxwell Hall basement.

What work is happening?

Drilling holes between floors for dual 4” chilled water pipes. Installation of pipes instead walls and ceilings as much as possible.

Where is this work taking place?

The new pathway is:

• down from the west end of Eggers 5th floor (near the elevator) to the cafe

• across the 3rd floor connecting corridor between the two buildings

• down the south end of Maxwell (near Eggers) from 3rd floor to basement

• across the Maxwell basement

When is the work?

Initial work begins Saturday, February 21, 2026. The project is intended to be completed during or soon after spring break.

Crews will be on-site starting about 5 am on weekday mornings, and some evenings starting at 5:30 pm. Occasionally a crew may work overnight. There may also be activity during business hours that is more out of the way for normal building use.

Will there be noise or dust?

Drilling the larger holes involves slow, non-hammering drilling through floors, initially outside of business hours while the level of noise is evaluated. Smaller holes for support brackets will be drilled as needed throughout the pathway while pipes are installed.

Some areas will be enclosed to minimize dust while actively under construction.

What about environmental hazards?

The university Environmental Health Safety Service team conducts highly regulated testing and maintains records critical to awareness of any hazards. Whenever any materials are detected, appropriate mitigation precautions are implemented and carefully monitored.

Much of Maxwell Hall actually has new construction around the time Eggers Hall was built in the 1990s. In particular the south end where this project takes place.

Timing and duration

What does "outside of business hours" mean - evenings, weekends, early mornings?

Yes. With some activity also happening during business hours.

When will you know if drilling shifts to business hours?

Potential disruptions will be determined in the first days of drilling and throughout the duration of the project.

Completion "during or soon after spring break" - can you be more specific?

The most noticeable work needs to wrap up in mid-March to allow enough time to complete connections in the maintenance rooms before air conditioning is expected during warmer weather.

Will work occur during spring break?

Yes.

HVAC concerns

What happens to heating/cooling in the meantime before pipes are connected?

The university crews perform daily work to keep the air in Eggers maintained.

How long have we been without air conditioning?

Fortunately the wintertime workaround for heating is easier than providing any cooling.

Will this fix the temperature issues we've been experiencing?

That is the intention of this rapidly prioritized project.

Access and closures

How long will the west doorway from Strasser Commons be closed?

That most noticeable closure may last a few days - though the doorway in front of Career will continue to be available. A section of wall and ceiling in that area may remain open through spring break.

Will any other doorways or corridors close as work progresses?

The out of the way west corridor between the cafe and Maxwell 3rd floor. Also, to a lesser extent, the south end Maxwell stairs between the 3rd and 4th floors.

Will offices along the pathway be accessible?

Yes. Some limited closure is planned in the back corner of PARCC.

Health and safety

What does "appropriate environmental testing" mean - is there asbestos or lead paint?

Should we be concerned about dust in our offices?

If there is drilling in your office, plastic barriers will be used to minimize the spread of dust. Crews will clean up daily, as much as possible. If your office is not directly involved then the building air filters and construction precautions should minimize any spread of dust.

Will I be able to access my space?

Yes, with very few, short-term exceptions that have been discussed with the occupants.

Noise and disruption

What does "slow, non-hammering drilling" sound like? How loud?

The 4” hole saw runs at a constant speed that should make a higher pitch sound that doesn’t travel very well through the structure. This is as opposed to the cranking or pounding sound of hammer drilling that travels through concrete. The level of noise will be learned once drilling begins.

Will we be notified before drilling near our area?

We’ll attempt to learn about 1-2 days ahead. But the priority is to complete the project in order to provide air conditioning this summer.

Chiller removal

What does "later this year" mean for chiller removal?

To be determined. Likely during better weather when the project managers determine lower disruption to campus operations.

What work is involved?

The chiller is a large unit to be removed in one piece from the Eggers 5th floor. Planning in underway and will be communicated as it become more clear.