From: Capital Planning and Construction
Impact Information:
Student Success Center Landscaping Work:
Now that our warmer weather is allowing our construction team to resume landscaping activities, we will start to see work happening all around the Student Success Center, such as: trenching and excavating for irrigation, additional rock and compaction along the walking pathways, planting of shrubs and trees and placement of various nurse logs and seating logs throughout the site. This will require the team to remove some parts of the orange construction fencing surrounding the site (as shown in the photo below), when this happens, please do not enter the landscaping areas. This work will begin today (3/31/25) and last through the first week of June 2025. Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we close out this exciting and successful project!
Construction Information:
You have likely seen the heavy earth moving equipment and the temporary construction fences our general contractor, Knife River, has setup around the campus. Knife River has completed excavating and sorting of the construction and demolition waste in areas of the landfill north of the Century-Chandler parking lot. They have completed building the earth back up and have are installing utilities and prepping for roads and a surface parking lot in the first phase of the Innovation District through the Spring and early Summer. As we continue to execute this work we want to inform you about the nature of the work, important safety measures we are taking, and the things you can do for your own safety.
The nature of the work:
This section of the demolition landfill was largely made up of sawdust, cut ends of wood, and boiler ash from Bend’s previous sawmills. It also had some tires, carpet remnants, drywall, roofing, and other items someone would come across when they demolish a home or building. We have excavated this material, sorting it and re-landfilling it using modern techniques in another landfill area in the northwest corner of campus adjacent to the Simpson parking lot. Additional reclaimed soil, which will not include landfill materials, has been used to further fill in the pumice mine beyond the oval green.
Important safety measures:
Pedestrian safety – As noted above pedestrian traffic to and from the Simpson parking lot will be in close proximity to large trucks and other construction equipment moving between the two landfill areas. Please stay on the path and watch for construction vehicles while walking in this area. This is not the area of campus to walk with your head down, focused on your phone or with earbuds in.
Air quality – Some of the waste in the landfill that has been cleaned up was hot and generated visible steam, especially when it was cold. Heat builds up in this landfill as wood in the waste breaks down naturally, similar to what happens in a compost pile but on a larger scale. Knife River used water to control the heat and to keep dust to a minimum. As part of the health and safety plan developed by our environmental engineering firm in coordination with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, contractors also monitored air quality at the excavation site and stationed monitors around the perimeter of the work area. The monitoring data helps us identify and control any unforeseen air quality impacts from the work
Project Links:
This is an exciting milestone in the expansion of the campus, and we hope you enjoy watching the work while staying safe. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the construction team at the email/phone numbers below.
Who to contact with questions/concerns:
- Jarrod Penttila - [email protected], Associate Director of Capital Planning and Construction, Oregon State University – Cascades, 541.706.2163
- Austin Williams - [email protected], Construction Project Manager, Oregon State University – Cascades, 541-706-2205