UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Facilities & Planning

Road Closure Notice: Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation Dedication Event (May 3-4)

We are excited to announce the dedication event for the new Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation, a transformative addition to our campus made possible through the generosity of our donors. As we prepare for this special occasion, we would like to inform you of a temporary road closure on campus.

The road leading to the Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation will be closed starting at 7:00 a.m. on Friday, May 3, 2024, and will reopen at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, 2024. This closure is necessary to accommodate the setup and execution of the dedication event.

To eliminate congestion, please limit vehicular access to St. Mary’s, the Chapel, Bauccio Commons, the Tennis Center and Shiley Hall. Please note that the EV charging stations at the Tennis Center will not be accessible during this time.

During this time, there will be signage in place to direct you around the road closure. Additionally, please note that parking in certain areas will be blocked off to facilitate the event and ensure the safety of all attendees. Fire lanes will also need to be kept clear, as per safety regulations.

To view the detour route and areas affected by parking restrictions, please refer to the campus map linked here:

Campus Map

We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we celebrate this significant milestone for our university. The Shiley-Marcos Center for Design & Innovation represents a remarkable achievement for our community, and we are grateful for your support in making it possible.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the road closure or the dedication event, please do not hesitate to reach out to events@up.edu.

N. Willamette Blvd April-May Campus Impact: Update

PBOT started work on the first phase of Willamette upgrades with ADA ramp work at the intersections to the northwest of Portsmouth. Three intersections are impactful to campus. Of those, one is complete, one is in process, and the last is set to be completed prior to commencement weekend (see map below). Dates are weather dependent, but in light of the more recent updates from PBOT, work should be cleared out by 5/1, which will hopefully ease concerns regarding congestion related to commencement as well as move-out and regents on campus.

There will be a summer paving project that starts in mid-June, however additional updates on that project are still forthcoming. PBOT will provide us with broader announcements on that impact in the near future, as it will affect vehicular traffic between Portsmouth and St Johns (i.e. affects campus commuters coming over St Johns Bridge) and we will share those with the community as they are received.

For questions or concerns, please contact Jennie Cambier (cambier@up.edu)

Campus Paving Projects: Commons, Physical Plant Lots

under-construction-sign-22472640The parking lots for the Bauccio Commons and physical plant will be closed for repaving during the week of July 11-15, according to Paul Luty, facilities planning and construction. Employees and visitors will need to use the University’s main lot for parking during that week.

For more information contact Luty at 8874 or luty@up.edu.

Main Entry Updates

JimR copyJust in time for the start of school, the upgrade to the main campus entrance is now open in both directions and the paving and concrete work is complete, according to Jim Ravelli, university operations. While the major work has been finished, there are still about three weeks remaining to complete all project elements. The remaining work will be centered around completing the landscaping and installing the monuments near the entrance. Additionally, workers will be re-pouring curbs and sidewalks along Willamette Boulevard on either side of the entrance. There may be times during the concrete work that visitors may experience a small delay entering or leaving the main entrance but there will be no closures to the entrance for this work and a flagger will be directing traffic as needed. Please note, in order to facilitate the move-in of our students and not to disrupt orientation activities, all work has been suspended until Tuesday, August 26.

The work schedule includes:

  • Week of August 25th: Complete landscaping planting and irrigation testing in median and next to sidewalks; begin curb and sidewalk work along Willamette (note there may be an occasional delay at the entrance as we complete this portion of the project); begin monument installation.
  • Week of September 2nd: Complete monument installation; install lamp posts; complete raingarden and associated landscaping.
  • Week of September 9th: Complete sidewalk and curb work along Willamette; final cleanup.

For more information contact Ravelli at 7540 or ravelli@up.edu.

Main Entrance Updates

hWork is progressing on the University’s main Willamette Boulevard entrance and exit. Over the past weeks much of the new drainage system has gone into the ground on the Shipstad side of the drive. In addition, a bioswale has been excavated and its connections to the main drive have been completed. Over the next three weeks UP community members will start to see much more visible changes to the drive as workers start their concrete work and installation of sidewalks on the Shipstad side.

Beginning July 28 the traffic lane will move from the soccer field side to the Shipstad side, to allow installation and connection of catch basins and concrete pours for curbs and sidewalks.

Artist’s renderings and a work schedule are available at http://tinyurl.com/mygex3z. For more information contact Jim Ravelli, university operations, at 7540 or ravelli@up.edu.

Main Entry Construction Updates

hDuring the week of June 30, the rebuilding of the University’s main entry and exit will continue, with storm water system installation on the Shipstad side of the drive, according to Jim Ravelli, university operations. Workers will bore for all electrical conduit runs for the lighting installations and irrigation as well. During the week of July 7, base rock will be installed on the Shipstad side of the drive, and lighting conduits will be installed. Also, please note that the sidewalks have been removed so pedestrian access is either on the south side of Shipstad or from Portsmouth near the Chiles center. Workers are accelerating sidewalk installations to get pedestrian access restored as soon as possible. For more information contact Ravelli at 7540 or ravelli@up.edu.

Campus Main Entry Update

hThe main Willamette Boulevard entry will be open to incoming traffic at all times during this summer’s repaving project. The entrance drive is currently a one-way gravel road on the left side of the drive. At the end of the entrance, drivers may turn into the main parking lot or go left to access other campus parking. Those who park in the main lot must exit using the road to Mehling Hall and onto Portsmouth. Those who park along the Buckley or Waldschmidt Hall areas must leave campus using the Kenna Hall exit.

On Tuesday the 24th, workers will switch the entrance to a wider gravel road on the opposite side of the current entrance, which should help make access to campus much easier. Your continued patience is appreciated as we update this important area of campus.

For more information contact Jim Ravelli, university operations, at ravelli@up.edu.

Summer Construction Projects, Detours

hConstruction on both the main Willamette Blvd. entrance and the Beauchamp Recreation and Wellness Center will be causing traffic detours and pedestrian access route changes this summer.

The recreation center fencing is up and delineates accessible sidewalks skirting the construction site. Access to and from University Village will be on the SW side of Strong Street and the NE side of Warren street. Parking will be open around the construction site on both Strong and Warren, but eliminated on Van Houten between Strong and Warren. Please be cautious and reduce speed to 20 MPH on Portsmouth in front of the recreation center site due to truck traffic on an offsite. The construction will extend through the 2014/2015 academic year and be complete in June 2015. These traffic measures will be in place for the duration of the project.

Main entrance construction will commence the week of June 1 and will be complete in late August. Traffic will be reduced to campus entry only, with traffic exiting through the main lot and Portsmouth or via the Kenna exit to Willamette. Pedestrian access will be on the NW side of the main entry or SE side of Shipstad. The main entrance will be open to incoming traffic at all times. Drive carefully when encountering possible gravel road conditions, and please keep speed to 10-15 MPH through the area. Sidewalk and road closure signs will be set up to guide drivers. A map is available on the Facilities Planning and Construction page at www.up.edu/facilitiesplanning.

Please have patience with the inevitable construction issues. Everyone’s safety is our priority. If you have questions  call facilities planning and construction at 8874.

Master Plan Final Approval

The City of Portland’s senior planner, Douglas Hardy, has sent the University the following message regarding its request for a new Master Plan, according to Jim Kuffner, community relations/special projects: “No appeal was filed on the UP Master Plan, so you can now record the final decision with the Multnomah County Recorder. The only other outstanding requirement is to submit (by April 2) three bound copies of the master plan that includes any changes to what was originally submitted, and all conditions of approval.” The Hearing Officer decision, as well as the final version of the new Master Plan, will be posted to the UP website soon so anyone interested in either or both documents can view them. For more information contact Kuffner at 7331 or kuffner@up.edu.