New construction continues on campus

Construction crews have been busy on campus as workers put finishing touches on building projects and begin new ones.

Work has begun on a $24 million Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, located adjacent to the School of Veterinary Medicine.

The three-story, 82,000-square-foot facility will provide Wisconsin and the nation with a state-of-the-art laboratory for animal testing and routine detection of disease and for the protection of the nation’s agricultural interests from foreign animal diseases and bioterrorism.

The lab is an independent state agency attached to the UW System and is scheduled to open in mid-2006. It replaces the current lab, now housed on Mineral Point Road.

Rod Nilsestuen, state agriculture secretary, says Wisconsin’s future is closely tied to a vital and diverse bioeconomy.

“This growth and innovation will not occur without a strong bioinfrastructure, and this lab is a key component of that infrastructure,” he says.

Construction of the new Microbial Sciences Building, at the northeast corner of Linden and Babcock drives, has forced the closing of Babcock Drive between Observatory Drive and Linden Drive.

It is expected that the street closing will last for about 18 months, as crews erect the $120.5 million structure at the site of the former E.B. Fred Hall. The 330,000-square-foot building is expected to open in mid-2007.

The closure means that campus buses now will detour to Observatory Drive using Linden Drive. Temporary bus stops have been designated on the street.

A $22.4 million renovation of Chamberlin Hall, the new home of the Department of Physics, is nearing completion.

The building, at the corner of University Avenue and Charter Street, formerly housed the School of Pharmacy. The building is being extensively remodeled for classrooms and offices. Classrooms should be ready for use for the summer session.

Utility work that had closed Easterday Lane on the west side of campus is complete, and the road is again open to traffic.

A campus master plan that will guide the development of the university for the next 20 years — including its buildings, transportation systems and open spaces — is being created. Your participation in the process is important. Find out more about the process and public meetings and offer ideas at the master plan Web site.