It seems that nearly everyone at BU benefits from this summer’s construction and maintenance projects on the Charles River and Medical Campuses, which ranged from renovated apartment buildings and laboratories to the new School of Law building. The total price tag is estimated at $40 million, according to Gregg Snyder, assistant director of financial analysis and budgeting at Facilities Management & Planning.

David Flynn, Facilities Management & Planning assistant vice president of construction services, says his team planned for the summer construction season pretty much all year, with work completed just days before the beginning of the fall semester. They also used the summer months to begin mapping out construction projects for summer 2015. “It’s all about the up-front planning,” says Flynn.

The summer months are critical for taking on big projects, for obvious reasons. “During the summer, the campus and the city operate at a different pace, although there is still a lot of activity on campus,” Flynn says. “We all recognize that the vast majority of the undergrads aren’t on campus and it’s vacation time, so the logistics around the city make it easier to move stuff around. And we have a two-and-a-half-month window, which is a good chunk of time to work on projects.”

This year’s summer construction projects were in addition to the day-to-day maintenance and landscaping required to keep BU’s 322 buildings and 135 acres spread over two campuses in operating condition.

The 2014 summer construction programs included:

Danielsen Hall
512 Beacon Street

Built in 1926, 88-year-old Danielsen Hall houses 282 undergraduates on 10 floors. This summer, the building’s brick and stone façade was repaired and common area dorm kitchens were renovated with Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient fixtures.

Myles Standish Hall
610 Beacon Street

Also celebrating its 88th birthday this year is Myles Standish Hall, home to 660 students. An extensive assessment of the building’s exterior was done this summer and will continue through the spring. Lighted safety staging, which protected pedestrians, is placed around the building while repairs are made.

East Campus Laundry Room
140 Bay State Road

The Towers’ former kitchen and serving area were renovated to create a new laundry facility, with 20 washers and 20 dryers, for East Campus students. This will more than double the existing capacity for those in need of clean duds.

Metcalf Center for Science and Engineering
590 Commonwealth Avenue

Facilities Management & Planning replaced 309 damaged or split precast windowsills.

Sargent College
635 Commonwealth Avenue

Renovations, many involving labs and offices for new hires, were done throughout the building.

Warren Towers
700 Commonwealth Avenue

This summer marked phase four of a multiyear project to repair the Warren Towers garage, which, with 464 parking spaces, is the second-largest parking facility on campus. The garage was in need of TLC due to factors such as age, constant vehicular traffic, and corrosion caused by road salt.

This summer’s work included steel restoration and recoated pavement in the garage. The Starbucks, Subway, and Bank of America ATM in the building were closed for the summer. Starbucks received a makeover, and Subway is now located within City Convenience, which also now houses a Dunkin’ Donuts counter.

The University also began phase one of a two-phase dining hall project at Warren Towers, which will renovate employee locker rooms and the food service areas.

South Campus

Many residences on Park Drive, Audubon Court, Buswell Street, and Mountfort Street got a makeover, including bathroom and kitchen renovations and new paint and carpeting. In total, 104 bathrooms were remodeled and 76 new kitchens installed, gussying up the living spaces of 299 students.

English Department
236 Bay State Road

All of the department’s windows—original to the 1913 building—were replaced, and cosmetic improvements were made to the corridors, restrooms, and faculty offices. Those included painting and the installation of energy-efficient lighting upgrades.

College of Arts & Sciences
685–725 Commonwealth Avenue

Colleen McGinty, executive director of construction services, says one of the summer’s most exciting projects was at the College of Arts & Sciences. Three auditoriums and a case room were renovated; the improvements include upgraded instructional media, improved sightlines, and new air-conditioning. The case room, for instance, was upgraded with new movable tables and chairs.

School of Law
765 Commonwealth Avenue

This LEED-registered project includes upgrades to the 256-foot LAW tower and construction of a new building, made possible by an $18 million gift from Sumner M. Redstone (Hon.’94), chair of Viacom and CBS. Faculty and staff worked in the Redstone building while construction crews prepared classrooms, dining, and student spaces in time for classes. The new building, which will allow for the expansion of the Pappas Law Library, will increase study space and house most LAW classrooms.

The tower is also undergoing renovations, with new mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, thermally insulated windows, and refurbished exterior concrete panels. These renovations are expected to continue through next June. Flynn says LAW was the largest of this summer’s projects, at least in terms of scope and cost.

George Sherman Union
775 Commonwealth Avenue

The Metcalf Ballroom’s outdated audiovisual system was replaced. In the George Sherman Union Food Court, the Amalfi Oven counter was transformed into a new station called Takin’ It to the Street, which serves up changing menu selections, similar to what’s sold by local food truck vendors.

Boston University Academy
One University Road

A new elevator was installed to make the academy’s recently renovated art, drama, and dance studios on the third floor more accessible.

Information Services & Technology IT Help Center
179 Amory Street

The Information Services & Technology IT Help Center, formerly located at 533 Commonwealth Avenue, moved to this new location over the summer. IS&T also upgraded classroom media in various locations campus-wide, including CAS, the College of General Studies, and the Math & Computer Science building.

Lacrosse Locker Room
285 Babcock Street

A former laundry room and fitness center in the building’s basement was converted to a new locker room for the men’s varsity lacrosse team.

Kitchen Renovations
92 Bay State Road

Common area dorm kitchens were renovated with Energy Star appliances and energy-efficient fixtures.

Keefer Auditorium
75 East Newton Street

Seating was upgraded in this 2,384-square-foot auditorium, involving the replacement of 132 tablet armchairs and cosmetic upgrades.

L-11 Testing Facility
72 East Concord Street

A large portion of the building’s 11th-floor library was turned into a dedicated testing and study area for School of Medicine students.