This project was the renovation of the East Campus Central Quad located between the Lecture Centers on the University of Illinois, Chicago campus. This area is a popular space for students to gather and hang out. Work included demolition of the old concrete structure and landscaping. New work included low wall seating ring around a sunken lawn with a stage to the north side. Other activity areas include a fire pit, fixed seating, and bosque. Sustainable features include a bioswale, permeable pavers, and detention vault. All new native landscapes were furnished by the landscaping contractor and installed by a student group on campus. Work also included new trees. All site furnishings included picnic tables, benches and seating areas throughout the area made of sustainable wood. Originally the detention vault was to be a precast vault which had a long lead. Because of the timing of the award and when this project needed to be completed, we worked with the Architect of Record to change the detention vault from a precast structure to a cast-in-place concrete vault. This helped save some time on the schedule and allowed the underground site storm system to progress across the site. Accel did this work as a change order as a design-build element on the project.
