Woodruff Construction completed its first project on Iowa State University’s campus in 1962.  Over the past four decades, Woodruff has successfully completed more than 50 Iowa State University projects, ranging from new buildings, renovations - remodels, demolitions, and industrial projects.

Construction Progress Report from June 2008:

The Alumni Center is nearly complete. Workers are moving furniture into the offices, and finish work is taking place in the public spaces. Exterior work that was not completed due to Iowa's harsh winter and wet spring is now being finalized. There is something new to see in the building every day! The staff is eagerly awaiting a summer move-in date (July 9-11) and beginning to plan the official dedication, which will take place Oct. 25, during Homecoming weekend.

Construction Progress Report from March 2008:

Much of the Alumni Center construction has moved indoors. Crews are finishing interior walls, floors, and ceilings; windows and doors are expected to be installed by early spring. By the end of April, the carpet should be installed, walls painted, and the building should be complete. It will be a very busy spring for the contractor! In addition to interiors, the covered drop-off will be constructed; the turn-around drive, parking spaces, and sidewalks will be laid down; the east plaza, terrace, exterior grand staircase, and Wall of Alumni and Friends will be constructed; and some planting will be done. Office furniture will arrive and be assembled in May, then public furnishings will be delivered, finishing touches will be put on the building, and staff will begin to move in. The building is scheduled to be operational sometime in June.

Construction Progress Report from January 2008:

As of New Year's, construction is about 64 percent complete on the ISU Alumni Center. With the majority of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems in place, the contractor is currently working on drilling the wells for the geothermal well that will be hooked up to the building's heating and cooling system. Interior wall framing is 99 percent complete, and the ceiling framing is 90 percent finished. Walls will be finished soon, according to the university's facilities planning and management department.

Construction Progress Report from November 2007:

Crews are working hard to get the project enclosed within the next month. The brickwork is 80 percent complete, and when that is completed the stone masonry work will begin. The roof is on, and the window openings have been closed in with plastic to keep the weather out of the interior. The interior of the building is about 60 percent complete, with a lot of the electrical, plumbing, and mechanical work nearing completion. Some of the rooms in the office area have been sheet-rocked, as has most of the ballroom. Installation of the geothermal well field is underway, and some of the rough grading on the site around the exterior of the building is done. We are anticipating an April completion date for the general contract, which means that the installation of the furniture will take place in May 2008.











Construction Progress Report from October 2007:

The steel erection is complete on the main building, the exterior wall-board is done and framing for the winsows and roof is at a point to allow brick to be laid. The brick has been "blended" and was delivered the first week of October. With the brick and stone beginning in October, the building will once again be changing over the next few months. The north stair frames have been installed inside, and with the treads poured it will be much easier to move from floor to floor. Probably the most important progress happening now is the roof is being installed. Once the roof is watertight the openings can be closed with temporary and/or permanent material. This is important because the interior framing on all floors will be done in the coming weeks, with rough-ins to follow. That will allow drywall installation to begin in the near future. The geo-thermal wells are also scheduled to begin in late October.







Construction Progress Report from Summer 2007:

The summer months have allowed progress on the Alumni Center to accelerate. As of July 15, the ballroom floor has been poured, and contractors will be pouring more floors within the next few weeks, mainly in the office tower and meeting areas. The interior masonry work has begun, and exterior brickwork should be starting soon. In August, interior walls will be framed up, and interior plumbing and heating/ventilation/air conditioning will be installed. By the time the school year rolls around, we will begin to see exterior stone, framing for exterior walls –- and the roof should even be on the building! The goal, of course, is to have the entire building enclosed by winter.











Construction Progress Report from Spring 2007:

The construction is going very well despite a cold, snowy winter and an unseasonably wet spring. Construction activities over the last several months have included installation of underground plumbing utilities, concrete footings, and foundation walls, and bringing water service from the city and electrical service from Stephens Auditorium to the site. Steel began to arrive at the site beginning the third week of May. Erection of the steel structure began with the first floor columns, followed by the second floor structure. The building is really beginning to take shape as the steel goes up.

As of early May, the project is about 23% through the construction process. There was a tremendous amount of work required in excavation, underfloor plumbing, concrete footings, and foundation walls. At this time, the project is on schedule and within budget.

Construction Progress Report from December 2006:



View of site (looking west) priot to excavation (above). Trees and shrubs were removed by Iowa State University, Facilities Planning & Management employees during the summer of 2006.

View looking west of dirt being removed from the site and west retaining wall under construction (above right). Steel piles were driven into the ground, and wood lagging was installed between them to retain the dirt on the hill as the building site was being excavated. Approximately 23,000 cubic yards of soil was removed form the site and placed on other parts of campus.

Drilling machine installing tie-back anchors for retaining wall (below right). Forty-seven anchors were installed at a length of 50 feet and at a 15 degree angle. These anchors provide additional support to the retaining wall.















View from the top of the hill (see Jack Trice Stadium in background) looking southeast (above). The material in the foreground (yellow pile) is a stack of EFCO forms, a donation to the project, waiting to be installed in the "hole."



View looking southwest showing steel piles and timber lagging (above). This wall was constructed to hold back the earth during removal of soil from the site. This wall also acts as one side of the formwork for the concrete foundation of the west side of the building. The steel piles and timber lagging have been covered with a waterproofing system.



Underground sanitary sewer is being installed on the lower level of the office tower (above).



EFCO forms (steel panel forms) are being assembled and installed on the west foundation wall (above).

Development on the project is progressing smoothly. Weather has been cooperating. Over the rest of the winter months, the contractor will be installing concrete footings and foundation walls for the rest of the building, as well as pouring the slabs for the floors on the first (lower) level. Steel erection is scheduled to begin in late winter.