Flexner and Welch Halls now fully gutted

Although the removal of concealed asbestos caused some delays last spring, the reconstruction of Flexner and Welch Halls is still on schedule, with work on both projects expected to be complete by the end of fall 2012.

In Flexner, framing and utility work (top) is now underway on several floors. Heads of the laboratories that will be housed in the renovated space have had the opportunity to fine-tune the designs for their spaces. Heavy equipment to handle climate control and ventilation systems is being delivered over the next several weeks, and finishing work including flooring, cabinetry and fixtures is expected to begin in the spring.

The major work in Welch Hall is now taking place on the A and B levels (above left), which have been stripped down to exposed steel so that new concrete floors could be poured — over the years, many modifications had been made to parts of the basement, leaving a confusing warren of rooms that were not even all on the same level. In the stairwell and main reading rooms, protective plywood (above right) has been laid to preserve the marble and paneling while work on the floors, windows and ceilings progresses. Outside, the painstaking piece-by-piece repair of stonework and masonry is nearly complete.

“Both projects are proceeding as planned, and we are getting to the point where we are able to visualize how these gracious spaces will be transformed,” says George Candler, associate vice president for planning and construction.