Parking
structure
repairs
are noisy,
expensive
by Victoria Kuohung
Daily Staff Reporter
Pounding jackhammers assault
students' ears as they walk to class.
"More construction?" they wonder,
and then pass by, deciding it's none
of their business.
Butconstruction isabigandcom-
plicated business at the University.
From designing new buildings to
renovating old ones, several offices
areinvolvedindeciding whatprojects
to work on.
The Thayer Street parking struc-
ture is an example of how a seem-
ingly small project is a large affair.
Across the street from Hill Audito-
rium and the MLB, the 443-space
garage - the smallest of all Univer-
sity parking structures -was built in
1962 for $858,000. Originally bud-
geted for $1,900,000, it's being reno-
vated for $1,890,000, where actual
construction accounts for $1,565,122
of the total. The rest of the money is
being used for testing and supple-
mentary fees.
Salt, climate, and daily use has
worn out the concrete, and three en-
tire levels, along with the connecting
ramps,are being repaired. Butit's not
just a simple matter of blasting out
concrete and putting in new levels.
"Plant Extension is the division
that is engaged to look at a situation,"
said University Manager of Civil En-
gineering at Facilities Planning and
Design John Neault. "Parking Ser-
vicesrequestedasurvey. Then astudy
came through withrecommendations,
which then came toPlantExtension."
Neault said Plant Extension then
determines how to implement those
recommendations. Final approval of
the project rests with the University
* Board of Regents.
A study of the Thayer parking
structure, along with others, was com-
pletedin 1979, saidNeault."The tech-
nology of how to repair structures
has changed (in 10 years) ... and the
technology of design 30 years ago is
different than it is today," Neault
said. "There's changes in technology
between now and the time that they
are built, so we try to overcome these
(problems) in the structure.
"(When we can do) the work de-
pends on the need, availability of
funding, and how much time is avail-
able for construction," he said. "Nor-
mally we only work from May 1 to
Wednesday, June 17, 1992 - The Michigan Daily Summer Weekly -3
State of Michigan
welfare cuts focus
of University study
Profs to research impact of GA cuts on poor
by Mary Chang
Daily Staff Reporter
A three-year study on the impact
of Michigan's 1991 welfare cuts by
faculty at the University School of
Social Work and officials at the state
Department of Social Services is un-
derway. The studyis designed to show
how previous recipients of the Gen-
eral Assistance (GA) Program are be-
ing effected by the cuts.
Before being terminated October
1,1991 as aresultofbudgetcutsby the
Michigan state government, the GA
Program provided benefits for 83,000
adults.
"We are going to look at what
effect the termination of GA has on
individuals by tracking information
from the department of mental health,
education, and our own department,"
said Chuck Peller, spokesperson for
the Department of Social Services.
'There is so little known
about the needs and the
type of people that used
GA. We think that they're
people who have a lot
of problems but aren't
eligible for other govern-
mental programs. We're
not sure what we're
going to find.'
- Sandra Danziger
School of Social Work prof,
following the study.
"A lot of states are looking to see if
they can cut this program, GA,"
Danziger said. We're hoping that our
results - which will come out in
about a year - might help influence
other states in determining whether or
not to cut their GA funds."
The first segment of the study
involves an examination of state
records for evidence of increased par-
ticipation in other welfare programs,
such as state medical assistance and
employment training.
Part two includes interviewing a
random sample of 700 people to look
at whetherornot they used otherkinds
ofgovernmentand local services, such
as agencies and shelters, to gain work
expeence.
"There is so little known about the
needs and the type of people that used
GA," Danziger said. "We think that
they're people who have alot of prob-
lems but aren't eligible for other gov-
ernment programs. We're not sure
what we're going to find."
September 1. It's a noisy operatio
and we don't want to disturb the aca
demic community."
Neault said complaints of nois
anddustusuallycome frombusinesse
rather than students or faculty. Thre
businesses have complained about th
construction at the Thayer structur
since the beginning of this summer.
"Our contracts all require that th
contractor follow local, state, and fed
eral ordinances, and that's what w
hang our hat on," said Neault.
The University's in-house contra(
for handles some parking structur
renovation projects, but their involvt
mentislimitedby "how many projec
do we have them doing, can they con
plete a project by a certain date ... th
workload is the key here," said Pu
chasing Department Purchasing Aget
Ronald Trimmer.
Trimmer said seven contractor
were invited to bid on the Thayt
construction. According to Trimm
and Neault, the majority of Universit
work is by invitation.
"We review the past performanc
of several contractors, select then
and invite them to bid," said Neaul
The contractor who was awarded th
work for theThayer structure is Spent
Brothers of Saginaw, Mich.
n
a-
e
es
°e
1e
re
le
d-
KAISHA HALCU/ai
Neault said construction on the
structure has taken place four sepa-
rate times. Each time requires clos-
ing access to faculty and staff who
park there.
University Parking Services Man-
ager Susan Kirkpatrick said over-
flow parking created by closing the
Thayer structure is directed to all
surrounding parking areas such as
Fletcher, Church, and Thompson.
'e "We haven't received any com- University Professors Sandra
plaints about the closure," she said. Danziger, Larry Gant and Sherrie
c- "During the summer the spaces have Kossoudji are working on the study
re been sufficient to accomodate the withtheDivisionofPlanningandEvalu-
e- overflow." ation at the Michigan Department of
Is Theexpenses forrenovating park- Social Services. The research is being
u- ing structures run higher than other supportedby a$674,000 grant awarded
le parking spaces. to the University by the Ford Founda-
r- "Typically a structure space will tion.
nt cost $10,000 to construct versus a Because Michigan is the first state
surface lot parking space at $1,000 a to have completely eliminated the GA
rs space," Kirpatrick said. program, other states are carefully
er She said the University has not
er received state funding for parking
ty renovations.
"Money for construction mainte- -
X nance and renovation come out of , -
a, permit fees, including other permits ,
It. such as guest parking and retiree per-
te mits, paid by faculty and staff," she'
e said. Permits for 1992-93 cost $349, of
which the University contributes $63.
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