News

• Field Support Center

  |  Floor Plan  |    Photo  |

  The project involves the construction of a 10,000 square foot facility located at the Gloucester Point Campus.  The pre-engineered building is complete and the contractor is currently completing the interior finishes.  The project is scheduled for completion in February 2010. 

• Improve Information Technology Infrastructure                                      

  |  Photo |

  The project involves the modernizing of VIMS' aging information technology infrastructure to meet increasing demands for information exchange including systems to carry voice, data, and video. The Gloucester Point campus is vulnerable to lightning strikes and this project has completely replaced the original copper network with new high speed fiber optics.  Also distance learning capabilities have been completed for the Gloucester Point and Wachapreague campuses. Construction to improve the air conditioning and power requirements for the Watermen's Hall network server room was completed. New servers were purchased.  Along with networking Andrews Hall and the Seawater Research Laboratory, VIMS will extend 24x7 networking capability to existing campus buildings, such as Chesapeake Bay Hall and the Fisheries Science Laboratory.  This service will also be provided to Chesapeake Bay Hall pending completion of the electrical upgrades.  Redundant fiber-optic cable network service is currently being installed through the area where eight buildings were demolished.  Finally,  upgrades of Watermen's Hall copper network infrastructure are planned.
• Construct Concrete Pier        

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The project replaces two damaged wooden piers (Oyster Pier and Ferry Pier) with a new concrete pier on the VIMS Gloucester Point shoreline. This pier houses pumps and intake lines for running seawater at VIMS including the new Seawater Laboratory. The elevation of the pier is set at twelve feet nine inches above mean low water.  The project was completed in December 2009.

• Electrical Upgrades, Chesapeake Bay Hall

This project involves upgrading the electrical distribution system at Chesapeake Bay Hall. The building's present electrical system does not provide the type of clean power needed by some of the sensitive electronic lab equipment and instrumentation used in modern research. The project will include a transient voltage surge suppression and other improvements to the grounding system and a second emergency generator.  The project is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2010.

• Maury Hall Renovation

This project will be supported by the raising of private funds to renovate a 50-year old 6,400 square foot outdated laboratory into functional meeting and conference space for the campus.  Preplanning for the project is underway.

• Research Storage Facility   

  |  Perspective |    |  Floor Plan |    |  Proposed View |

       The  project involves the construction of a 4,600 square foot facility that is needed to secure research  equipment and instruments that are currently stored outdoors. The environmental impact report was approved.  The project is now in the Working Drawing phase and we expect to be under construction by Spring 2010.

• Eastern Shore Seawater Laboratory

         | Before Demo   |  After Demo   | Intent to Award

The project supports construction of a new 8,000 square foot laboratory building with running  seawater for research on coastal marine ecology and aquaculture in a high salinity environment.  Hazardous material abatement and demolition of six existing decommissioned buildings  and minor structures has been completed.   A construction contract is anticipated to be awarded by the end of January 2010, with construction to begin by Spring 2010 and occupancy by March 2011. 

•  Shoreline Erosion Control

The project supports erosion control of the entire shoreline of the Gloucester Point campus to protect the shoreline and surrounding structures.  The    project includes construction of eleven new rip rap breakwaters, the extension of several pipe outfalls further into the York River, replenishment of sand along the entire shoreline, creation of small dunes along the west shoreline and planting of riparian vegetation on the east shoreline.  The design build team has been selected and the project is expected to be completed by Fall 2010.

• Miscellaneous Projects

The following maintenance reserve projects are active:

•   Replace air handler - Watermen's Hall

VIMS is working with the Division of Mines, Minerals, and Energy to obtain an energy audit on three of its buildings and to enter into an energy performance contract.  Watermen's Hall is part of that audit and it is intended to replace the air handlers as part of the contract.  Audits have been conducted and a contract award is anticipated by early February 2010.

•   Excavate bank behind collapsed wood bulkhead - Boat Basin

VIMS has awarded a contract to Crofton Diving Corporation.  The project is currently underway and scheduled to be completed by March 2010.