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 will take place in two phases:
Phase I: Relocation of utilities and demolition of the Franciscan Building
Phase IIA: Construction of the new west addition
Phase IIB: Seismic retrofit and renovation of existing building and new north addition.

Students and faculty will have access to library services and the collection during planned closures. Limited operations will continue within the Library until surge facilities can be brought on line. When the Library closes in fall 2008, collections will remain available by request and will be distributed from temporary locations in the HSS building. During summer and fall 2008, two temporary structures will be constructed on the site of the former Lakeview Center, at the intersection of Lake Merced Boulevard and Winston Drive, to 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

In preparation for construction:

• Demolition of the Franciscan Building is complete as of June 2008. Work is presently underway to clear the site of trees and shrubs necessary to allow for the proposed building addition, seismic strengthening, and utilities work.
• Relocation of the telecom trunkline, which is located along the ceiling of the ground floor of the Library and serves several campus buildings, will begin on July 10, 2008. The work will take place in two phases. First, the replacement cables will be installed underground in existing conduits from spools mounted on trailers. Once the cables are in place and prepared for the switchover, the affected buildings' telephone and coaxial cable AT lines will be switched to the replacement cables. Scheduled for early August 2008, this work will take place over several nights. Groups of 25 lines at a time will be switched, with each line disconnected for up to 15 minutes on one of two scheduled dates. As the schedule takes shape, updates will provide more specific information.
• Also scheduled for mid-July through the end of August 2008 is the re-routing of the campus' utilities to accommodate the Library project, including the upper campus fire water loop line and the heating hot water supply and return lines. Some trenching at locations surrounding the Library will be necessary to accommodate the installation of new lines.
• Work continues on construction of the Library temporary surge buildings located to the immediate west of the University Police Department on a portion of the site of the recently demolished Lakeview Center.  During June, the site underground utilities will be installed in preparation for the delivery and construction of the tent structures.  Also in the preliminary stage of construction is the enclosure of portions of the Humanities building’s lobbies to provide additional study areas for students.

• Note that the switchover of telephone lines will occur during evening hours, after 10 P.M, and utility lines on the weekends to minimize inconvenience and disruption to campus operations.

Construction Impacts:

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



• Fencing around the project site is in place and will remain in the present configuration until fall 2008.  
• An aluminum ramp has been installed immediately adjacent to the east side of the Creative Arts Building, providing an accessible path from Holloway Avenue to the Quad. Existing pedestrian paths allow access elsewhere around the construction site.

• Users should expect sporadic impacts due to construction operations and construction equipment deployment.
• Holloway Avenue traffic will be impacted by construction-related activities; users should anticipate some occasional delays.
• Changes in accessible paths will be posted on the construction alert site.