One World Cafe Construction

Memo to all Facilities Planning and Management Officers (FPMOs) and Unit Business Officers (UBOs) dated April 1, 2020 from Tonga Pham, Associate Vice President, University Facilities

Governor Cuomo recently updated his “Pause-NY” Executive Order to close any non-essential construction projects in New York state (emergency construction is permitted to continue).

For this reason, UB University Facilities will temporarily shut down all work on campus facilities renovation projects in the construction phase.

We are working with our staff, consultants, contractors, and vendors to close each of our construction projects in a safe and rationale manner that ensures minimum impact on our UB community and preserves the progress of the projects. We will work with units and Procurement to assess whether planned purchases should proceed.

For UB campus projects that are in the design and planning phases, University Facilities’ planning and design staff will continue to work remotely on these projects. 

We are aware that many renovation priorities have shifted as a result of the COVID-19 situation. Please help us support your priorities by identifying any ongoing projects that may need to be canceled or paused (held for future consideration).

Cheryl Bailey will be providing you a list of your current project within your schools or units to the FPMOs involved under a separate memo. If your unit wishes to cancel or pause any of your ongoing facilities projects, please contact Cheryl Bailey by Thursday, April 2, 2020 to let us know. Your rapid response to this request will help us prioritize our workload.

Once construction crews are reactivated, University Facilities will reevaluate all construction projects and provide you with revised project schedules.

Thank you for your flexibility during these uncertain times. 

Tonga Pham
Associate Vice President Facilities

For more information:
Cheryl Bailey, Associate Director
University Facilities
119 Beane Center
716.645.3835
cbailey2@buffalo.edu

• Expected disruption: Negligible.

Beginning Thursday, March 26, 2020:

Norton Hall entrance closure:

• Norton Hall exterior entrance facing Founders Plaza will be closed until futher notice. Please enter Norton Hall from Knox Hall until further notice.
• Detour signage will be claerly visible. 

• The ground floor corridor between Capen Hall and Knox Hall will be closed in order to advance the construction of One World Café while campus is lightly occupied.
• During this time, detours will direct people around portion of exterior of the buildings, to re-enter at either end of Knox or Capen, where elevators or stairs may be used to access other floors.
• Detour signage will be clearly visible.

Temporary nighttime closure of Norton-Capen ground floor corridor

During spring break (Mon. March 16 through Sat. March 21, 2020) during the night hours of 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., the ground floor passage between Norton and Capen halls will be closed to ensure visitor safety during stair removal. 

• Expected disruption: Significant noise during night hours only.

During this time noise levels in Capen and Norton will be very disruptive. No classes are currently scheduled in these locations; events and programs are advised to seek to alternative locations. Temporary detour signage will be in place during the nightly construction. Construction debris will be cleaned up prior to 7 a.m.

Diagram of Capen-Norton Detour 

Norton 1^st and 2^nd floor, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — light demolition 

• Expected disruption: Negligible. Noise level should not interfere with normal business or classwork.

Norton 2^nd floor, 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. — light demolition

• Expected disruption: Negligible. Noise level should not interfere with normal business or classwork.

Construction of UB’s One World Café will require significant changes to how you access and navigate Capen Hall, Norton Hall and Talbert Hall.

Students, faculty and staff on the North Campus should be prepared for disruptions. Everyone is advised to take extra time finding their classes, as regular routes may be blocked by construction barriers.

University Facilities is working diligently to minimize confusion and has taken these actions:

• Placed new wayfinding signage at building entrances, elevators, stairwells and hallways to redirect traffic to the most efficient routes.
• Assigned volunteers in high-traffic locations to direct you.
• Created a new One World Café construction website to provide periodic construction updates.
• Renamed elevators in Capen Hall to simplify getting to Silverman Library and administrative offices.

• The fastest, easiest route between Capen, Talbert and Norton is through the ground floor. When in doubt, start there.
• Passage between Capen and Norton halls on the ground floor will always remain open.
• Capen Hall classrooms (Classrooms 240-265) can only be accessed via the stairs or elevators inside Talbert Hall. From the Flint Loop, turn left and walk straight. Enter Talbert Hall.
• Administrative elevators on the first and second floors of Capen Hall are CLOSED for the duration of construction.
• Elevators in Capen Hall are renamed and redirected to provide clarity.
  • “Library” elevators (directly next to 1 Capen) provide service to Capen Hall ground floor and floors 1, 2, 3 and 4.
  • “Administrative” elevators (around the corner from 1 Capen) provide service to Capen Hall ground floor and floors 4 and 5.

(Effective Jan. 24, 2020 until further notice)

Capen Hall

• The best way to enter Capen Hall is via the ground floor (Hamilton Loop side of Capen).
• The best way to access Capen Hall second floor classrooms (Classrooms 240-265) is to use the stairs or elevators in Talbert Hall.
• The best way to access Silverman Library is to take the Library elevators from the ground or first floors of Capen Hall.

Norton Hall

• The best way to enter Norton Hall is still from the ground floor of Capen, the bridge from O’Brian Hall or Founders Plaza.

These wayfinding maps will help you stay on the most efficient routes to classrooms and offices in Capen, Norton and Talbert halls during One World Cafe construction. Maps may change as construction progresses so check back often.