Campus Summer Construction Projects for 2024
Work on building renovations, pedestrian enhancements and utility upgrades to unfold over coming months
Lilly Library Addition and Renovation
What’s happening: Built in 1927, Lilly Library will undergo a substantial renovation and expansion in a multi-year project. The project will increase the library’s footprint by 78% and will add more indoor and outdoor seating, collaborative study spaces and a café.
What to expect: Lilly Library was closed to the public in early May. Work on the project is expected to begin this summer. Once work starts, six of the tennis courts behind Lilly Library will be removed. Access to the East Gated Lot No. 2 will be available for construction traffic only and traffic on Brodie Gym Drive will be limited during the work. During the project, the Lilly Library staff will be housed in Bishop’s House, which is behind Bassett Residence Hall. Library services such as reserving or checking out materials, printing and scanning will be available there.
Expected completion: The project is expected to last two years, with the goal of having the library open by summer of 2026.
East Campus Landscape and Infrastructure Renovation
What’s happening: The landscape, hardscape and infrastructure of East Campus Quad will undergo a major renovation. The lawns and plantings will be refreshed. The stormwater drainage system throughout the quad will be replaced and some of the sidewalks will be reconfigured. The quad’s irrigation system will be repaired and enhanced, the street lighting will be upgraded with LEDs and the Wi-Fi signal coverage within the quad will be improved.
What to expect: The work will begin in mid-June. Pedestrian access to all buildings will be maintained throughout the work, though there will be some detours as different sections of the quad will be addressed at different times.
Expected completion: Work on the project is expected to be complete in late 2025.
Nasher Museum Sculpture Garden
What’s happening: The Nancy A. Nasher and David J. Haemisegger Family Sculpture Garden will create 270 degrees of walkable landscape for visitors with accessible pathways and green spaces for displaying art outdoors and for community gatherings and events.
What to expect: The entrance to the Nasher Museum from Anderson Street is closed. The museum’s main parking lot will remain accessible from Campus Drive and Duke University Road.
Expected completion: The space is expected to be ready in the summer of 2025.
Jack Coombs Field Renovations
What’s happening: As the first phase of a renovation project for Jack Coombs Field, home to Duke’s baseball team, the facility will get a pair of new dugouts. The new dugouts will be larger, feature bathrooms and be lower than the playing field.
What to expect: As part of the dugout project, some underground utilities will need to be rerouted, resulting in temporary closures of the sidewalks along Whitford Drive near Jack Coombs Field.
Expected completion: Work on the dugouts will begin this summer and finish in the fall.
Lemur Lane Repaving
What’s happening: The section of Lemur Lane connecting the Duke Lemur Center with Erwin Road is being repaved. Work began on the project earlier this month.
What to expect: The Erwin Road entrance to the Duke Lemur Center is closed until the project is finished. The Duke Lemur Center can be accessed from the entrance on Cornwallis Road.
Expected completion: The project is expected to be complete by the end of May.
NC-751 Crosswalk
What’s happening: A crosswalk is being installed across NC Highway 751, also known as Cameron Boulevard, connecting the Grounds Lot with the practice fields used by Duke’s Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams. The new crosswalk will feature a mast arm with flashing lights suspended above the roadway alerting drivers to pedestrians. Sidewalks and improved lighting will also be added along the south side of Cameron Boulevard stretching from the new crosswalk to the intersection with Science Drive.
What to expect: Work is expected to begin in mid-May. Cameron Boulevard will remain open throughout the project with periodic lane closures, with flaggers, during the brief times when the crosswalks are being installed.
Expected completion: The crosswalk will be in place by mid-August with some of the sidewalk and lighting improvements potentially finishing in the fall.
Duke University Road Crosswalk
What’s happening: A crosswalk with flashing lights will be installed across Duke University Road connecting the Karsh Alumni & Visitors Center with the Duke University Road Lots across the street. New sidewalks will be added on the south side of Duke University Road stretching from the entrance to the gravel lot to the Chapel Drive intersection.
What to expect: Work is expected to begin in mid-May. Duke University Road and the Duke University Road Parking Lots will remain open, but expect lane closures with flaggers during the brief periods when the crosswalks are being installed on the roadway.
Expected completion: The work should be complete by mid-August.
Science Drive Condensate Renewal
What’s happening: A decades-old condensate pipe for Duke’s steam system is being replaced beneath Science Drive. The project requires digging a trench along roughly 160 feet of the road that runs in front of the Physics and Biological Sciences buildings.
What to expect: Work on the project is paused for commencement. Between the time the work resumes on May 16 and mid-June, Science Drive will be closed in front of the Physics Building and the Science Lot will be inaccessible. From mid-June to mid-July, the work will take place at night, resulting in temporary closures of Bryan Center circle. And from mid-July to late August, there will be periodic lane closures on Science Drive with two-way traffic continuing with a temporary traffic light.
Expected completion: Travel on Science Drive will fully resume in late August while the final phase of landscaping and sidewalk work will finish in late September.
Fuqua/Law Hot Water Conversion
What’s happening: As part of a campus-wide conversion to more efficient heating methods, the Fuqua School of Business and Duke University School of Law buildings are connecting to Duke’s hot water system. The project consists of installing two underground pipes beneath Science Drive linking the buildings with the hot water system that circulates around campus.
What to expect: The work is paused for commencement, but when it resumes on May 14, one lane of Science Drive, near the intersections with Whitford Drive, will be closed until September 17. A temporary traffic light will maintain two-way traffic. While the Law Lot and Chemistry Lot will remain open during the project, some parking spaces will be inaccessible.
Expected completion: Science Drive will fully reopen on September 17 and the project is expected to be completely finished by November 1.
Broad Street Utilities (City of Durham) Project
What’s happening: The city of Durham is replacing a water main near the intersection of Main and Broad Streets near East Campus.
What to expect: Details have yet to be finalized, but traffic on Broad Street near East Campus will likely be affected.
Expected completion: The work is expected to take place this summer.
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