Update on Campus Impacts from Ginsburg Center Construction

To: The Campus Community
From: David Kang, Associate Vice President of Facilities

I write to provide a construction update on the Ginsburg Center for Quantum Precision Measurement project, which broke ground on the north side of California Boulevard between Linde Hall and Downs-Lauritsen earlier this year.

Work on the Ginsburg Center has been distributed across two campus construction sites shown in red on this map—the main project site between Linde Hall and Downs-Lauritsen, where the building will eventually be located, and a utility work site spread across the areas near the turtle pond, the Olive Walk, Gates–Thomas, and the Hameetman Center. Utility work at this site near the Olive Walk will facilitate electric power supply to the new Ginsburg Center building. 

In the next few months, construction crews will continue to work in both locations. The details of their projects, and the potential impact of their work on campus community members, is outlined below.

South Campus Utility Work Update
Beginning this week and continuing through February 2025, construction crews will install and connect electrical wiring underground from the power substation behind Hameetman Center to the Ginsburg Center building location. This work will require that the two northmost areas marked in red on this map remain cordoned off, as construction workers will drill a 36-inch-diameter underground tunnel between both locations, followed by the installation of conduits in the tunnel that will house electrical wiring. Please know that there will be intermittent noise, dust, and vibration near the site; crews are working to mitigate disruptions to the area as much as possible.

While this electrical work was scheduled to begin in late summer 2024, it was delayed in August when the construction team hit an old brittle water pipe in their initial drilling of the tunnel. The underground pipe was shown in a different location on our utility maps and was undetectable to ground penetrating radar. Since August, the construction team has worked tirelessly to resolve the incident, which resulted in a water leak at the site and required the temporary emergency shutoff of the chilled water supply to several buildings on the south side of campus. The Facilities team worked closely with campus partners and multiple contractors to ensure that all affected buildings were equipped with temporary chilled water supply and air conditioning during this process.

We are now finalizing a permanent solution that reroutes existing campus chilled water sources to the affected buildings. By the end of 2024, all the affected buildings will have a permanent chilled water supply and temporary chilled water lines will be removed. In addition, the Facilities team intends to continue to build out a longer-term plan for improving resiliency and accessibility of the underground infrastructure by routing future chilled water supply lines through existing underground utility tunnels.

The disruption to campus from these unplanned repairs was significant. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the community's patience as we work to get the project back on track.

Ginsburg Center Construction Update
At the building location site, construction crews will conduct a mass excavation of the site to prepare for the construction of the basement level of the building. This excavation will begin today, Tuesday, November 12, and last through February 2025. It will involve digging and the removal of dirt and debris from the site between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Each weekday, trucks will follow this route from the 210 freeway, enter the site one by one from the east on California Boulevard, load up with dirt and debris, and exit to the west along California Boulevard. Trucks will use the rightmost turnout lane, which is currently fenced off with the Ginsburg Center site, to enter and exit the site to ensure minimal disruptions to the flow of traffic.

Trucks are not permitted to idle anywhere near campus, and we are taking every measure possible to limit congestion in the area. There will be dedicated personnel conducting traffic and monitoring safety, and pedestrians and drivers should follow all posted traffic signs.

Other work, including demolition, tunnel drilling, and the installation of structural supports will continue at the Ginsburg Center site, resulting in intermittent noise impacts and vibration affecting the surrounding buildings. Specific information regarding the timeline and extent of campus impacts will be provided in ongoing community update meetings starting this month.

Monthly Community Updates
Beginning this month, the Facilities team will host a monthly Zoom meeting to provide detailed and timely updates to the campus community about construction related to the Ginsburg Center. Caltech faculty, staff, and students are welcome to join these meetings for updates and to ask questions about campus impacts due to construction. Information on the first meeting will be shared in the Ion Caltech newsletter, and members of the community can connect with the project team via email at [email protected].

We are grateful for your patience and understanding as we work to bring the Ginsburg Center to life. This facility represents an exciting step forward for our campus, and we are committed to keeping you informed as progress continues.