Anybody have a Twitter acct and can ask Dr Rudd when construction will begin on three new buildings: Music, Engineering, and Bio Research Lab? He has done a great job promoting, sharing progress on everything else to date.

Engineering building was dropped from the governor’s budget with all other higher ed capital projects when COVID-19 hit.

(05-06-2020 10:25 PM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  Engineering building was dropped from the governor’s budget with all other higher ed capital projects when COVID-19 hit.

Dropped or deferred?

(05-07-2020 06:19 AM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(05-06-2020 10:25 PM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  Engineering building was dropped from the governor’s budget with all other higher ed capital projects when COVID-19 hit.

Dropped or deferred?

it was dropped, they are hoping to put it in next fiscal year budget

from the Engineering newsletter:

I also want to provide an update on the status of the proposed STEM Research and Classroom Building (SRCB) that in February was included in the proposed 2020-21 State of Tennessee Budget. Consistent with the anticipated sizable negative impact of COVID-19 on the U.S. economy as a whole, Governor Lee modified the original budget and in March the state legislature passed a "bare bones" budget which eliminated all capital projects including the SRCB. I am hopeful the SRCB and other capital projects might be returned to the budget when the legislative session resumes.

I believe the music building has already broken ground?

(05-07-2020 10:42 AM)wkid87 Wrote:  I believe the music building has already broken ground?

On the website which may or may not have been updated:

Quote:The University of Memphis and the entire Mid-South are eagerly awaiting the start of construction on the Scheidt Family Music Center at the Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. Not only will the Center provide much-needed facilities for School initiatives, it will allow us to continue building upon our relationships with other arts programs in Memphis by hosting many of their performances on our campus.

Currently, the project's design team, Memphis-based firms Archimania and Fleming Architects and Chicago-based theater designer Schuler Shook, is nearing completion of final plans and construction will begin soon after that.

From what I understand, when the IPF is finished, they're going to start on the music building, and when the new recreation center is completed, they're going to start on the engineering building? Where are they going to put the new engineering building? Near the hotel?

If anyone has a Twitter acct, would you please send to Dr Rudd? I’m sure he’d clarify.

Send it to Ike instead.

He's in the know.

(05-07-2020 09:25 PM)AlonsoWDC Wrote:  Send it to Ike instead.

He's in the know.

Not helpful.

(05-07-2020 10:37 AM)wkid87 Wrote:  

(05-07-2020 06:19 AM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(05-06-2020 10:25 PM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  Engineering building was dropped from the governor’s budget with all other higher ed capital projects when COVID-19 hit.

Dropped or deferred?

it was dropped, they are hoping to put it in next fiscal year budget

I would call that deferred. They won’t move other projects ahead of it so they will wait till funding is more stable.

(05-07-2020 10:15 PM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(05-07-2020 10:37 AM)wkid87 Wrote:  

(05-07-2020 06:19 AM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(05-06-2020 10:25 PM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  Engineering building was dropped from the governor’s budget with all other higher ed capital projects when COVID-19 hit.

Dropped or deferred?

it was dropped, they are hoping to put it in next fiscal year budget

I would call that deferred. They won’t move other projects ahead of it so they will wait till funding is more stable.

The state has a scoring system they use to rank capital project proposals. The STEM building scored high enough to be funded this cycle. All capital funds were removed from the budget due to the expected economic impact of COVID-19. Who knows whether the governor will just include the same projects in his next budget or re-evaluate all proposals. My guess is that the next time capital funding is included in the budget, it will be significantly less than the original amount in this years budget. So the question will be does the STEM building score high enough to get funded in a smaller round of capital spending or not.

FYI, Twitter accounts are free. Register one, and ask Rudd directly without having to risk a game of telephone.

(05-08-2020 08:19 PM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  

(05-07-2020 10:15 PM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(05-07-2020 10:37 AM)wkid87 Wrote:  

(05-07-2020 06:19 AM)Tigerx3 Wrote:  

(05-06-2020 10:25 PM)pkptigers07 Wrote:  Engineering building was dropped from the governor’s budget with all other higher ed capital projects when COVID-19 hit.

Dropped or deferred?

it was dropped, they are hoping to put it in next fiscal year budget

I would call that deferred. They won’t move other projects ahead of it so they will wait till funding is more stable.

The state has a scoring system they use to rank capital project proposals. The STEM building scored high enough to be funded this cycle. All capital funds were removed from the budget due to the expected economic impact of COVID-19. Who knows whether the governor will just include the same projects in his next budget or re-evaluate all proposals.

My guess is that the next time capital funding is included in the budget, it will be significantly less than the original amount in this years budget. So the question will be does the STEM building score high enough to get funded in a smaller round of capital spending or not.

We have had exigent financial circumstances before causing delays. Your guess is the likely.

I don’t remember the ranking of the projects so yes it’s possible they may not fund the same number of projects but the order of priority should not be reranked.

Any news on when dirt work will begin on New Scheidt Music Building? Sounds like Stem Engineering Building is still on track for design work to conclude in <12mo and construction to start right after, thanks to Gov Lee. Not sure where we stand on Bio Research Lab I/II or Convocation Center.

(05-07-2020 08:14 PM)GoDownSwinging Wrote:  From what I understand, when the IPF is finished, they're going to start on the music building, and when the new recreation center is completed, they're going to start on the engineering building? Where are they going to put the new engineering building? Near the hotel?

In the parking lot on the south side of the Engineering Science building

(08-02-2020 02:38 PM)NDTiger Wrote:  Any news on when dirt work will begin on New Scheidt Music Building? Sounds like Stem Engineering Building is still on track for design work to conclude in <12mo and construction to start right after, thanks to Gov Lee. Not sure where we stand on Bio Research Lab I/II or Convocation Center.

STEM building - they just received statements of qualifications for interested firms to pick who designs it. So design should start in a few months would be my guess.

(08-02-2020 02:44 PM)tigerengineer Wrote:  

(08-02-2020 02:38 PM)NDTiger Wrote:  Any news on when dirt work will begin on New Scheidt Music Building? Sounds like Stem Engineering Building is still on track for design work to conclude in <12mo and construction to start right after, thanks to Gov Lee. Not sure where we stand on Bio Research Lab I/II or Convocation Center.

STEM building - they just received statements of qualifications for interested firms to pick who designs it. So design should start in a few months would be my guess.

Any news on progress around Bio Research Lab I/II or Convocation Center? Has Dr Rudd shared a date when dirt work will begin on Scheidt Music Hall?

(08-02-2020 02:38 PM)NDTiger Wrote:  Any news on when dirt work will begin on New Scheidt Music Building? Sounds like Stem Engineering Building is still on track for design work to conclude in <12mo and construction to start right after, thanks to Gov Lee. Not sure where we stand on Bio Research Lab I/II or Convocation Center.

Haven’t seen or heard anything about the BioHub in a few years. Are you sure it wasn’t folded into the new STEM building?

Also, where have you seen anything about a convocation center?