Update from the Office of Facilities and
Construction
Design and Construction
University Center/Academic Center
If you happen to pass the new University Center/Academic Center,
you’ll note that the concrete floors have been poured and the
framing of the exterior walls is being completed. Fireproofing of
the structural steel is underway, and the exterior-wall insulation
has started. The interior staircases are also in place. We have
started the installation of the building infrastructure as well;
plumbing and electrical piping is underway, and the mechanical
ductwork is in fabrication. Installation of the major ductwork will
start soon. Within the next week or two, you will also notice
the installation of the brick and stone facing.
170th Street Sidewalk
Construction began a week ago on the 170th Street sidewalk project.
which consists of installing new concrete curbs from Goethals
Avenue to Union Turnpike, widening the roadway from 30 ft. to 38
ft. and installing a new concrete sidewalk. We have relocated some
utility poles and the main St. John’s power line is scheduled for
switchover this weekend. The work on the road will begin in the
first weeks of February and the project should be completed by the
end of March, weather permitting.
Facilities Services
We have revamped our web site to include newly established
procedures, such as whom to contact in the event of an emergency,
how to escalate and whom to contact regarding a work order or
facilities-related matter. It also lists contact/building
assignment information for Building Managers.
Visit the
site to learn more about our new initiatives and the services
we’re providing. Once on the site, please refer to the
respective links along the top menu – Building Managers, Emergency
Services, and Escalation Process.
Effective January 9, we extended the Facilities Service Center
service hours to 10 p.m., Monday–Friday to provide broader
coverage. We’ve also instituted a call-back service to advise when
work requests have been scheduled, rescheduled or completed.
Additionally, to increase service responsiveness during the weekend
we have started building manager coverage.
Sustainability
The MillionTreesNYC initiative’s web
page reads, “Getting to a million of anything seems daunting,
but if anyone can plant a million trees, it’s New Yorkers!” St.
John’s has joined with New York City in this program, and over the
Christmas break, MillionTrees planted 300 trees on our Queens
campus, mostly around the campus perimeter but also in the
Residence Village and around other paved areas. As you know, trees
benefit the environment in many ways. Did you know that the
average mature tree absorbs .17 ton of carbon dioxide each year?
Added to the 150 trees planted by STJ last year, the potential
carbon sequestering (a process through which carbon dioxide from
the atmosphere is absorbed by trees through photosynthesis) when
the trees mature is 77 tons of carbon dioxide per year. We hope to
do more planting in the future! Stay tuned.
One way you can help the environment is by doing your share to save
our planet. Here are a few pointer:
- Turn off your lights when you leave for a meeting or for the
day.
- Turn off computers, printers and other electronic equipments
each day.
- Make sure your computer monitor uses stand-by.
- Set your default printing to double-sided printing.
- Use the recycle bins placed all throughout campus.
- Use on-line information sources as much as possible.
- Commute to work by public transportation, carpooling whenever
possible.
- Purchase papers with post consumer recycled content.
Additional information can be found
here