Addition/Renovation J. Paul Leonard Library and Sutro Library

Summer 2008 to Fall 2011
Specific construction activity dates are subject to change during the course of construction

The J. Paul Leonard Library and Sutro Library project will completely renovate, seismically strengthen, and add approximately 85,000 gross square feet to the existing library. An automated library retrieval system (LRS) will be located in the new west addition, freeing space normally consumed by book stacks for use as study and computing areas. The Sutro Library will move from its present building on Winston Drive to the 5th and 6th floors of the renovated Library.

Construction Schedule is in two phases:
Phase I: Relocation of utilities and demolition of the Franciscan Building  - completed.
Phase IIA: Construction of the new west addition. – currently under construction.
Phase IIB: Seismic retrofit and renovation of existing building and new north addition.  

Students and faculty continue to have access to library services and the collection during the building closure.  Collections remain available by request and are distributed from temporary locations in the HSS building. Two temporary structures are occupied on the site of the former Lakeview Center, at the intersection of Lake Merced Boulevard and Winston Drive, which house interim library functions, including research assistance, periodicals, reading and study areas, computer work stations, multimedia production and staff work space.

For information on interim Library locations and operations, please visit
http://www.library.sfsu.edu/about/building

Current status of construction:

Construction recommenced on the project in March. The envelope of the three -story Library Retrieval System (LRS) has been completed.  The third and fourth floors of the west addition are under construction.  Precast panels at the northeast corner of the building were removed during Spring break 2009.  Final site utility relocations of the heating hot water supply and return lines are underway while selective interior demolition of the building is ongoing. 

The Library temporary surge buildings, Annex I and Annex II, located to the immediate west of the University Police Department on a portion of the site previously occupied by the Lakeview Center, have been fully operational since the beginning of December 2008.  The Humanities building’s lobbies have been enclosed to provide additional study areas for students and are in use.

During the summer break construction work at the Library site will continue to pick up momentum with several work tasks; many of these activities are necessary to bring the project up to the milestone of having the collection moved into its new home in the Library Retreival System (LRS) located in the west addition, while the balance of the work will assist in bringing the project to as rapid a completion as possible.

Related to the completion of the west addition, this summer will see the following activities:

• Pouring the roof deck at west addition - by the end of June 2009
  
• Removal of the falsework scaffolding used to form the 3rd floor slab of the west addition
  
• Issuance of a building permit for the north addition structure, seismic retrofit of the existing library and west addition exterior stairs, curtain wall and elevator
  
• Installation of roof insulation and roofing membrane
  
• Start of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing work at the LRS
  
• Start of installation of exterior glass curtain wall at the 3rd and 4th floors

Activities related to the overall project completion scheduled for this summer include:

• Continuation of soft demolition on the ground floor
  
• Demolition of pre-cast concrete panels at the north side of the library - to start June 9, 2009; this work will produce noise as it has in the past; dust control will be provided as the work moves along the building's facade.
  
• Installation of a personnel and materials lift at the north side of the library
  
• Issuance of a building permit for the north addition structure, seismic retrofit of the existing library and west addition exterior stairs, curtain wall and elevator
  
• Start of seismic strengthening of existing building foundations along the north and west sides of the building
  
• Layout and start of the foundation work for the north addition
  

Construction Impacts:
This project will have a considerable impact to the campus community over the next three years. Paths around the construction site have been altered to allow adequate space for safe construction operations and materials staging.

July 3, 2009 Update: Demolition of the north facade of the existing library is in full swing at the present time and will continue throughout the month of July 2009. At the east end of the facade, the precast panels have been entirely removed from top to bottom to allow for installation of a construction personnel lift. Otherwise the demoltion will continue across the entire face of the building's north side. Dust control measures are in place - screening and misting - and will continue to be an integral part of the work process.

July 17, 2009 Update: The demolition of the north facade is in the clean-up stages and work on the interior ground floor demolition is commencing. On July 28, 2009 during the very early hours of the morning, the main electrical feeders will be re-terminated; the first of three such activities. This shut-down will involve cutting power to the following buildings:

• Hensill Hall
  
• Thornton Hall
  
• Science
  
• Administration
  
• Student Health Center
  
• Cesar Chavez Student Center
  
• The Towers at Centennial Square

Power will be restored to all buildings by no later than 6:00 a.m. of the 28th. Future main power feeder work will require only momentary power outages. The campus will be notified well in advance of each activity.