The move of campus units to 91̽»¨Tower is already a bit more than a third complete, and more units will move in over the summer.
“We’re on schedule,” said John Seidelmann, principal facilities planner for the Capital and Space Planning Office, which is under the Office of Planning and Budgeting. “We’re at about 35 percent occupied now and by July expect to be halfway there. By the end of the year we’ll be nearly full.”
The 91̽»¨purchased the tower from Safeco Insurance in September of 2006, and Safeco leased the building back from the 91̽»¨until the end of 2007. In January the 91̽»¨began the necessary work to ready the tower for 91̽»¨occupancy. There are four buildings in all — the tower, and buildings S, O and C, which will ultimately get different names.
As of May, about 470 91̽»¨units have moved to the tower, with more moving in late this month or in June. Other 91̽»¨offices will make the move in July or later. For some large 91̽»¨units such as Educational Outreach and 91̽»¨Technology, moving to the tower will bring a consolidation of offices formerly scattered in several locations. 91̽»¨Technology will occupy several floors in two of the lower buildings that are among the tower properties,
Already moved in at 91̽»¨Tower are Educational Outreach, the Attorney General’s Office, University Press, Planning and Budgeting and parts of 91̽»¨Technology.
About 275 other 91̽»¨units are moving to the tower this month and next. They include Public Health and Community Medicine, Continuing Nurse Education and Continuing Medical Education.
Building S, one of the lower structures, will see some redesign for a new entry on the south side and a welcoming center, Seidelmann said. That building will later house offices for Development, Alumni Relations and Marketing.
Units moving into the tower properties in July or afterward include several administrative offices for 91̽»¨Medical Center and 91̽»¨Physicians Network, the Office of Information Management and Office of Research Information and the Emergency Management office.
Much of Safeco’s furniture remains in use. Seidelmann said crews preparing tower properties for 91̽»¨use are mostly repainting, recarpeting and doing technical upgrades for needed computer wiring.
Some elements of the work, such as completion of the Data Center or the creation of a fitness center, will likely continue into 2010, Seidelmann said.
Planning for all the 91̽»¨units to make their move to the different 91̽»¨Tower properties is like the puzzle game where you move squares around to make things fit, Seidelmann said with a laugh. “But we’re working three of the puzzles at the same time.”
