Construction & Mobility Updates

Multiple construction projects affecting the West End Neighborhood will be underway upon the beginning of the spring semester. Here’s what to expect in the next few months, leading up to the start of classes in January:

Vandy Van updates

• The VandyVans stop on 24th Avenue will relocate to the lot in front of Carmichael Towers East, effective Friday evening, Nov. 30. Learn more and view a map here.
• A VandyVans stop was installed at the 25th Avenue Garage location and will continue to support increased student traffic in the area.
• The VandyVans stops in the West End Neighborhood will be located at Branscomb and the lot in front of Carmichael Towers East. There may be slight adjustments in the routes taken due to construction, but schedules will not be impacted.
• Be sure to download the DoubleMap app and select Vanderbilt. This allows riders to track the progress of shuttles in real time.
• Additional short-term and long-term mobility solutions for the area are being addressed through the MoveVU process, which involves the broader campus community.

Greek house construction & fencing

• As construction continues on RC-A and the West End Neighborhood at-large, construction workers will be present throughout this area of campus beginning at 7 a.m.
• Construction continues at house site 1 (ZTA and NPHC houses) and begins on house sites 2 and 3 during semester break. House site 2 involves the demolition of the Kappa Sigma house and the building of two new houses. House site 3 involves the demolition of 208 24th Ave. and the building of two new houses on that site.
• Fences will be installed around the house construction sites (outlined in map above). Fence locations will change throughout the project as work focuses on different areas.

Parking closures

• After final exams, all Greek parking lots will close permanently due to construction efforts related to the beautification plan for the neighborhood and construction of new houses.
• Over winter break, Kensington Ave. will close to traffic and parking permanently to prepare for beautification efforts beginning in the spring.
• The intersection of 24^th Avenue and Vanderbilt Place will be closed through early spring semester.  A few parking spots will be blocked at this intersection during construction.
• Parking Services will continue to make five floors of the 25th Ave. garage available to ‘F’ permit holders.
• For parking questions, contact VUPS Parking Services at (615) 322-2554.

New Web Resources

The university, in coordination with Layton Construction Company, will be establishing a live update site for the West End neighborhood efforts. For those interested in viewing the current state of construction, view daily and/or weekly updates, and construction progress photographs, we will include on the FutureVU West End Neighborhood webpage in the near future.

Information About Construction Mock-Ups Near Carmichael Towers East

Construction crews are working on design mock-ups outside Carmichael Towers East for the next several weeks. The mock-ups will stay in place until the demolition of Carmichael East starts in the summer/fall of 2020. Minor changes to the mock-ups will likely occur periodically.

The location for the mock-ups was chosen for its access and visibility to  our design team as well as to interested students, faculty and staff. This site also provides for the ability of keeping the mock-ups for a longer period so we can compare them with the actual construction of RC-A.

The construction schedule for the mock-ups is generally 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, the work sometimes necessitates a few earlier starts (for example, on days where there are large concrete pours). We are actively working to reduce noise from the jobsite, including muffling vehicles’ back up beepers and limiting the number of trucks on site at once. We diligently monitor job site noise to ensure it stays at or below city ordinances and are taking active measures to keep the noise to a minimum.

Although construction activity is occurring close to occupied structures, this project is as safe as any other we have had on campus.

RC-A Site as of Nov. 2018