Restoration of Anderson and Robinson Halls set for summer 2004

Tufts will spend between $3 and $4 million next summer on repairs to Anderson and Robinson Halls.

The University has hired the Columbia Construction Company to replace windows, repair the slate roof, and restore the masonry and terracotta on the buildings, which house the School of Engineering and the Department of Physics & Astronomy.

The restorations are part of the University's deferred maintenance program, which provides funds to improve facilities on all four Tufts campuses.

Columbia expects the location and timing of next summer's project will make it challenging. "Working in the summer means working with a very aggressive schedule because the work needs to be done before students arrive back on campus," Johnson said.

"Safety issues will also present some challenges. We need to make sure that the area is fully staged [for the workers] while still allowing access to the building [for the students and faculty]."

In meetings between local residents and Tufts officials, some residents expressed concern about preserving the historical integrity of the buildings. The University assured residents they plan to maintain the buildings roofs, which are made from local slate.

The cost of the project will be paid with funds from the school's annual budget. Columbia was selected via a competitive bidding process.

Last year, the deferred maintenance program funded the installation of new sprinkler systems and fire alarms in Lewis, Miller, Tilton, Houston, and Hill dormitories.

The program conducts a formal evaluation every three to four years to help prioritize the needs of each campus.

"The deferred maintenance program addresses the capital needs [of the facilities on campus] to maintain the useful life of the structures," Roberto said. "It's an investment."

This year, administrators are discussing projects for 2005, 2006 and 2007. According to Roberto, planned improvements include a new synthetic surface for Ellis Oval, at a cost of about $750,000. The University also plans on spending $4.5 million to renovate Pearson Hall's east wing, adding three new research labs and a teaching lab.

Columbia Construction's past Tufts projects include building the Granoff Family Hillel Center.