Capital Improvements

Call for Summer 2019 Capital Projects

With the end of both the Academic and Fiscal years, we understand that many of our colleagues may be considering or already planning to undertake a capital renovation or improvement project in the coming year that will require support from the Planning & Capital Project Management (CPM) team.

While we currently are hard at work on our portfolio of Summer 2018 projects, we are already thinking ahead to next year. So if a renovation project is part of your plans, it’s never too soon to notify us, particularly if your project is time-sensitive or if the construction phase of the project must occur during the summer months when the campus is less active.

The best way to inform us about your plans is to submit an online Project Request. Visit http://facilities.columbia.edu and log in with your UNI and password to “Initiate a New Construction or Renovation Project.” You will be asked to identify the purpose and need of the project, proposed space or location, the project funding source, desired schedule, special requirements or considerations, and a general scope of work. 

July 27, 2018

Once submitted, your Project Request will be reviewed and evaluated by our team, and we will contact you to confirm or clarify the goals and details outlined in the submission.

What is a “Summer Project”?: Given the limited window of time during the summer months, the typical “summer project” is relatively small in size and budget. For your reference, these projects may cost up to $750,000, and are usually cosmetic in nature, involving relatively few trades such as carpentry, paint, carpet or furniture. Depending on your goals and location, some projects may require the services of architects and engineers, and may also involve minor modifications to Heating, Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC) system or electrical, lighting and audio visual systems. We assess proposed summer project requests on a case-by-case basis and if it is determined that the project is too complex to complete during the summer timeframe, our team will work with you to identify a reasonable, alternative implementation strategy and schedule.

Finally, it’s important to note that our team must allow for enough time for project planning and development, design, vendor procurement and funding before we are ready for the construction phase. With this in mind, the sooner we are notified, the better.

Summer Project Submission Deadline: If your project requires design services, September 1, 2018 is the deadline to submit your project request. If your project does not require design services, the deadline is November 1, 2018. Projects submitted after the deadlines will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and will be considered for the summer schedule accordingly. If you are unsure about the complexity of your project, or whether outside design consultants are required, you are encouraged to submit a project request as soon as possible for our review and consideration.

If you need assistance completing your request or have any questions concerning the Capital Project process, please do not hesitate to contact Janet Grapengeter, Director of Design & Compliance, via email at [email protected].

Thank you for your cooperation and partnership with these efforts.

Have a great summer!