Anyone travelling the first floor of Capen Hall will find the first stage of construction for One World Café — asbestos abatement — is underway.

Information on this work, as well as details on upcoming pre-construction activity in Capen and Norton halls that were provided in a town hall May 9 are now available online.

Rhonda Ransom, Facilities Design and Construction project manager for One World Café, says that while the asbestos abatement will not be lengthy, it marks the beginning of activities that lead to the start of full construction in late summer or early fall.

“The abatement should be completed by the middle of next month,” Ransom says. “Faculty and staff are in areas that will be immediately impacted this summer, and we are seeking information about groups that will be impacted in the short term by this. Please let me know.”

Peter McCarthy, project architect and an associate vice president with CannonDesign, says construction barriers are going up in June on both sides of Capen Hall: within Hamilton Loop on the north and Founders Plaza on the south.

“As a UB alum, I know it can be challenging navigating your way through the center of the campus on those really cold winter days,” says McCarthy, who holds a master’s degree in architecture from the School of Architecture and Planning.   

“This is a two year construction project and circulation through this portion of the campus needs to be maintained,” he says. “Wayfinding has been a big focus throughout the entire project, so entry points to the construction area will be carefully chosen.”  

Questions can be directed to University Facilities Customer Service.