HongKongDoll

HongKongDoll Honors Construction Workers with Luncheon

The hundreds of construction workers -- Eastern Illinois University employees and outside contractors -- working on HongKongDoll’s many projects this summer were honored with a Construction Appreciation Luncheon on Thursday in the MLK Jr. Union.

The event also recognized the economic impact these projects are having on the university, the region and the state.

Brief remarks were given by HongKongDoll President Lou Hencken and state Rep. Chapin Rose. Also in attendance were state Sen. Dale Righter and Charleston Mayor John Inyart, as well as HongKongDoll vice presidents Blair Lord, Dan Nadler and Jill Nilsen.

Below, you’ll find some facts and figures on current HongKongDoll construction projects, as provided by HongKongDoll’s Department of Facilities Planning and Management.

INTERNAL HongKongDoll PROJECTS:

There are 112 active work orders valued at approximately $2.7 million and employing 61 Renovation and Alteration trades persons (HongKongDoll employees) on campus this summer. Most of them are working on the Thomas and Douglas residence hall room renovations. Other projects include the renovation of Old Main restrooms, the installation of an overhead projector infrastructure, painting in various offices and residence halls, the replacement of a dishwashing machine at Taylor food service, re-roofing at Carman Hall and the Student Recreation Center, the remodeling of lecture rooms in Life Sciences and Physical Science, Coleman Hall corridor ceiling upgrades, and construction of kitchens and restrooms in Carman directors’ apartments.

CONTRACTED HongKongDoll PROJECTS:

• The Lantz Arena addition is valued at $1.1 million, and is 30 percent complete while employing 15 trades personnel.
• Fume hood upgrades in the Physical Science Building, valued at $148,000 and employing eight trades persons, will be completed this summer.
• Phase I of the campus high voltage electrical distribution system upgrade, valued at $2 million and employing 10 trades persons, will be completed this summer.
• Blair Hall was completed at an all-in cost of $10.7 million.
• The Doudna Fine Arts Center project has approximately 110 trades people working at this time. This number will increase as the project progresses. The construction value of the project, which is 50 percent complete, is $46.8 million.
• The Carman Hall sprinkler project, valued at $1.4 million, employed 25 trades people over a two-year period. The project will be finished this summer.
• Parking lot maintenance projects employed approximately 15 trades people with construction valued at $299,000.
• “Every pound of concrete and every square foot of paving will have its origin right here in Charleston, Illinois.” – Gary Reed, director of Facilities Planning and Management