Olympia Update No. 2 for the 2002 Legislative Session
December 6, 2001
From: Larry Ganders, Assistant to the President
Washington State University
925 Plum St. SE - Building 4
Olympia, Washington 98504-3165
Governor
Releases $31.7 million Dec. 6 for WSU Projects Including Shock Physics,
Vancouver Multi-mediaGov.
Gary Locke today gave the green light to proceed with $880 million worth of
state capital construction funds approved by the 2001 Legislature but frozen by
his budget office. Within six hours of the governor's announcement Dec. 6, WSU
applied for and received $31.7 million in construction installments that had
been frozen.
The governor froze or "paused" the funds after a downturn in the
state economy indicated a $200 million shortfall of construction dollars. Locke
proposed a solution to make up the shortfall that bonds some lottery monies. The
decision positively affects many WSU construction projects, large and small. But
it comes as a particular relief because WSU has contracts for construction of
two major projects, the $12.4 million Shock Physics Building in Pullman near
Webster Hall and for the $18.5 million Vancouver Multi-media Building.
Construction was never halted on those projects because of contractual
obligations but the freeze left WSU with no certain way of paying for the
complete projects.
The installments received Thursday provide WSU with the
lion's share of the funds necessary to build the two buildings, all of the $11.4
million budgeted for campus infrastructure, and completes the $7 million
allocated for building preservation and safety. Locke has said he intends to
visit the Pullman campus on Dec. 17 and is expected to tour the Shock Physics
construction site.
Design of Johnson Hall, Vancouver Student Services and
Spokane Academic Center May Now Move Forward
Projects scheduled to be
built in the 2003-2005 biennium were also impacted by the freeze and the
governor's decision Thursday means that those projects may now be designed in
this current biennium. Specifically, the governor's decision allows WSU to now
apply for the funds necessary to design:
- Johnson Hall Addition (Plant
Bio-sciences), a building that may cost $40 million in state and federal funds.
The cost of designing the addition this biennium $3.5 million.
- Vancouver
Student Services, a $15.6 million building. The cost of designing the facility
for WSU's Vancouver branch campus is $1.5 million.
- Spokane Academic Center, an
estimated $45 million building that the Spokane community worked hard to get
into the design budget for this biennium. The Legislature provided $2 million
for design of the building which will house the first permanent library
facilities for the Riverpoint Campus.
Locke proposes $100 million in state
projects not previously approved by legislators, $6 million for WSU The governor
also announced today that he will ask the Legislature to approve a $100 million
supplemental capital construction budget next year.
If approved by the
Legislature in a session that convenes Jan. 14, the proposal will give WSU
funding for the following purposes:
- $500,000 to complete the first phase
renovation of the F.O. Berg building 410 East Trent, Spokane, to provide offices
for Facilities Operations, Capital Planning and Development, Security and
parking. This will free up space for academic programs and information
technology elsewhere on the Riverpoint campus. The F.O. Berg building currently
houses the Students Book Corporation (Bookie) in Spokane, which is not affected
by this project.
- $1.2 million to build hazardous waste disposal sites at WSU
experiment stations in Othello, Lind, Wenatchee and Prosser. These are buildings
for the storage of and handling of laboratory waste chemicals.
- $435,000 to
upgrade the water system at WSU-Prosser. This first phase of replacing the
domestic water system of a lead joint cast iron pipe dating back to 1919. Wells
drilled in 1954 and 1956 will be retained but the pumps will be replaced. An
underground water reservoir will be abandoned. A water tower built in 1962 will
be improved. Changes will be made to the water chlorination system.
- $450,000
toward a $2.85 million pedestrian mall on library road in Pullman. The funding
will complete a project by August that will also provide landscaping and
lighting.
- $575,000 to complete a $3.57 million reconstruction of the main
Pullman campus arterial, Stadium Way. The improvements will be made from Kruegal
Hall bridge to Grimes Way in Pullman.
- $360,000 to replace and upgrade storm
sewer from Tacoma Street to Spring Street in Pullman.
- $246,000 for road
improvements including replacement of North Fairway, a traffic signal along
Stadium Way, and general roadway repair or resurfacing throughout the campus.
- $500,000 to rework lighting on the Pullman campus to provide for consistent,
safety lighting.
-
$103,500 to complete a $260,000 project to retrofit fire
alarm systems at LJ Smith, French Ad and Sloan Halls. ยท $188,000 to survey and
upgrade the steam condensate system in Pullman.
This update is shared by broadcast fax and electronic mail to friends of Washington State University as government developments occur. Contact Kevin Ketchie, WSU Government Relations specialist, 509/335-6292 to be added to the list. Call Larry Ganders at 360-956-2165; From WSU Campuses, Dial 8-2165. E-mail: Ganders@energy.wsu.edu. Contact Jane Yung Dennie at 425-373-9090. For federal issues, contact Kristi Growdon at 206-219-2424. For state bill status, budget updates, and other government info, visit our improving web page at www.olympia.wsu.edu.
