Dear UMB Community,

While walking across campus last week and enjoying the spring weather, I couldn’t help but notice all the transformative work happening across the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) campus. I want to update you on some of the many improvement projects currently underway. But first, I want to express my gratitude to each member of the UMB community for your patience, understanding, and cooperation during this period of growth and transformation, and I hope you will “pardon our progress.”

Our campus has been buzzing with construction activities to strengthen and enhance our physical plant. Some of these projects undoubtedly are impacting the way you move about campus, so I want to share a few of those projects with you.

• Campus-Wide Electrical Distribution Project: This includes duct bank construction and feeder connections across the entirety of campus to each building substation. It impacts pedestrian traffic with a sidewalk closure along Pratt Street south of Pratt Street Garage, with expected completion in September 2023.
• Howard Hall Entrance Renovation: This is a lobby renovation on the southern side of Howard Hall. It impacts pedestrian traffic with a sidewalk closure along West Redwood Street until late September 2023.
• North Chilled Water Loop Extension from School of Dentistry (SOD) to 108 N. Greene St.: This involves the installation of chilled water supply and return lines from SOD northward to connect Pearl Street Garage and 108 N. Greene St. to the chilled water loop. It impacts pedestrian traffic; portions of Chicago Alley will be closed until November 2023.

University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) construction also might impact your movement around campus as work continues on the UMMC Roslyn and Leonard Stoler Center for Advanced Medicine.

• UMMC’s main north entrance off South Greene Street is closed. The hospital’s south entrance on Lombard Street will be the temporary main entrance for the next three years during construction.

New electrical banks, water lines, and construction projects may not feel like the most exciting things happening at UMB, but they are undoubtedly needed and help us continue to fulfill our mission. You can view all the construction projects happening at www.umaryland.edu/facilities/current-work/.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as UMB works on these improvements.

Sincerely,

Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS

President