Critical Maintenance Updates

Information on the critical maintenance work scheduled to be done in Smith Memorial Student Union. 

Current timeline: Work begins in September 2025, completion planned for fall 2026.

Sept. 3, 2025

Note these construction dates are superseded by later communications.

Smith Operations and Capital Projects has been notified by the project contractor that work on the student union’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) is being delayed due to the late arrival of necessary supply fan components. 

The shutdown of the first fan system is now scheduled for Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. 

This email is provided to give details on the updated calendar, information on what organizations in Smith will be directly impacted and more on the elevator upgrades that will impact all student union users. 

We cannot emphasize enough ALL DATES SHOWN ARE TENTATIVE. There might be changes small and large as the project progresses. 

At a glance, the updated critical maintenance project timeline is:

• Early September — Contractors begin preparations in Smith

• Sept. 19 — Shutdown of Supply Fan 4 (SF-4) allows work to begin on upgrading that system; scheduled to end late February 2026. Specific areas impacted by each HVAC shutdown can be seen in Capital Project’s SMSU Impact Map (Revision 2), below.

• Mid-October - SF-1 work begins in basement

• Late October - Crane pick on SW Broadway

• Nov. 26 — Elevator 15 (Mezzanine) work begins; scheduled to end mid-March

• Late December — Crane pick on SW Broadway

• Feb. 11, 2026 - SF-1 shutdown begins; should be online as part of SF-4 by April 2026

• March 27, 2026 — SF-12 shutdown begins; scheduled to end September 2026

• March 2026 — Elevator 6 (left one in central hall) work begins; scheduled to end mid-July 2026

• Early June 2026 — Elevator 7 (right one in central hall) work begins; scheduled to end September 2026

HVAC — Impacting certain areas only

– For those departments that have already relocated due to HVAC shutdowns, work on Supply Fan 4 (SF-4) is still expected to be finished in time for them to return to Smith by the start of spring term in late March. HVAC in these areas is planned to come back online in March.

— Fans and heaters are standing by for areas where the HVAC will be shut down. Capital Projects will begin distributing them as needed once the work begins. If you are in the SF-4 service area and have any immediate questions, you can contact building manager Mercedes Youngston. The need for portable AC units is still being determined.

– Phase 2, the elimination of Supply Fan 1 (it’s merging with SF-4) will begin in October, but the shutdown of that system will likely be delayed until February 2026. This impacts the Veterans Resource Center and Quiet Prayer & Meditation Lounge. HVAC in these areas is planned to come back online in April.

— In certain locations throughout Smith, EH&S has installed air monitoring devices. These look like orange key fobs, usually on a metal tripod with small cubes placed nearby. Please do not disturb them. They will allow PSU and the contractors to monitor a number of air quality elements during the construction. If you use them as karaoke mics it throws off the readings.

–  Crane “picks” — cranes mounted on truck beds for a day or two on SW Broadway to move equipment to and from the roof — have been re-scheduled to accommodate the delays. The first one now is expected in late October. Additional crane picks are scheduled for December and April. The crane picks will require closure of the SW Broadway sidewalk. As a precaution, some folks working on the upper floors will be asked to relocate on the days of the picks. We will be sending separate updates on the crane picks as soon as contractors have finalized permitting and are certain of the dates. 

— Departments and organizations impacted by the third HVAC phase — work on Supply Fan 12 (SF-12) in the southeast corner of the building — are still expected to relocate during Spring break in late March 2026. SF-12 will shut down at the end of March and is planned to come back online in September 2026.

The Smith-based resources that have relocated through March 2026 are: 

• Disability Resource Center — drc@pdx.edu, is located in University Center Building 400. 

• Student Legal Services — slms@pdx.edu, is located in Parkmill 184.

• Office of Academic Innovation— located in Vanport 560 beginning Aug. 25. 

• The Helen Gordon Infant Tots Center is planning to be in Epler Hall. 

ELEVATORS — Impacting the entire building

Elevator shutdowns will occur one at a time. The Mezzanine elevator is first and is still scheduled to start in November and be completed in March 2026. Alternative access through the Mezzanine service elevator will be available. 

Work on the elevators across from the food court will happen from March through September 2026.

With the generous support of the Student Fee Committee, the Smith freight elevator is now part of the project’s scope. Work on that is very tentatively scheduled to start in April 2026. 

In addition, plans are underway to replace the entire roof of Smith by the end of 2026. 

The Student Fee Committee worked with Smith Management to provide additional funds that will allow the most critical of Smith’s deferred maintenance to be completed. 

This critical maintenance work is to upgrade three of Smith’s 10 HVAC systems and four heavily used elevators over the next year-and-a-half. These are being replaced to extend their lifespans and provide more efficient infrastructure and accessibility to support student and PSU community activities in the building. We appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation. 

Fall term building hours

Finally, we want to include building hours for the fall term.

• Student, staff and faculty PSU ID general access – 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. daily.

• SW Broadway entrance open to the general public – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. M-F.

• Access for scheduled evening and weekend events will be through the SW Broadway entrance.

We hope everyone is having a good summer and appreciate your attention. 

Right click map images to open large in a new tab:

July 2025

Note these construction dates are superseded by later communications.

As we near actual construction in Smith, we want to provide an update on the critical maintenance project. 

This work is to upgrade three of Smith’s 10 heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) and the three public-facing elevators over the next year-and-a-half. These are being replaced to extend their lifespans and provide more efficient infrastructure and accessibility to support student and PSU community activities in the building. 

We are working with PSU's Capital Projects & Construction (CPC), Facilities and Property Management (FPM) and Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) departments on project planning, temporary relocations and updates.

Our thanks to the Student Fee Committee for their help in making these critical repairs before a failure of the targeted HVAC systems or elevators cause portions of the building to be unusable. 

Dates ... at this time
As always, dates are tentative, but the contractor is expressing confidence in this schedule (more info below):

• Preparations begin, with workers on site, the week of Aug.18, 2025

• HVAC work begins on/around Monday, Aug. 25

• Elevator work begins mid-November

• HVAC work, second major phase, gets underway in March 2026

• Project completion in late summer or September 2026

One of the first steps: An approved Oregon abatement contractor will isolate areas in Smith related to the HVAC systems and remove old building materials. These areas will be restricted while work is performed. Some corridors and rooms will be closed for a few days. As this might include some offices, the Smith stakeholders directly impacted will be provided more information and alternative work arrangements in advance as the sub-contractor determines the extent of the work. 

Supply Fan 4

The HVAC system serving the northeast corner of Smith (numbered Supply Fan 4) will be the first system upgraded. It covers the three Mezzanine levels and northeast ground floor, including the DRC and ASPSU offices.

This first HVAC shut down is expected to happen on or around Aug. 21. The two major shutdowns — SF-4 and SF-12 — are projected to last four or five months each.

As normal during a major project, CPC will be sending out Construction Impact Notices to notify the campus of more specific and targeted impacts. If you don’t get impact notices currently, you can learn more and sign up on the CPC website. 

During the shutdown, several Smith departments will be moving to temporary locations while they continue to serve students and the PSU community. The first moves this summer will include (and like the dates, some of these specific locations might change): 

• Conflict Resolution Center — to offices in Cramer Hall

• Disability Resource Center — to University Center Building, fourth floor

• Office of Academic Innovation — to fifth floor of the Vanport building

• SALP staff — to SMSU 435 with student activities remaining on Mezzanine 1

• Student Legal Services — to Parkmill, first floor.

In addition to email updates, Smith will be posting signs and public facing information on how to use these services during their relocation period.

Supply Fan 1

The HVAC system serving the Veterans Resource Center and Quiet Prayer and Meditation Lounge in the basement (Supply Fan 1) will be eliminated and those areas consolidated into the SF-4 HVAC system. Eliminating SF-1 provides certain efficiencies and reduces project costs. This portion of the project will mean an HVAC shut down of about two months in the VRC and QPML, scheduled to start in December. The VRC will continue to operate from its own space with some remote functions.

Public elevators in Smith

Work on the elevators will begin with the shutdown of the Mezzanine elevator in late November. Elevators will be upgraded one at a time with each shutdown expected to last three to four months. Work on the main elevators (across from the food court) will begin in late winter when the Mezzanine elevator work is finished. 

Alternative elevator access to the Mezzanines during the shutdown will be through the use of a service elevator in the Campus Events office. Details to come. 

Supply Fan 12

During winter term, the HVAC system serving the southeast corner of Smith (Supply Fan 12) – it serves Student Media, the Helen Gordon Infant/Toddler Center, La Casa Latina Student Cultural Center, the Pacific Islander, Asian and Asian American (PIAAA) Student Center, Multicultural Retention Services, study space in the basement and event spaces on the third floor — will be shut down for its own upgrade. This is scheduled to start in March. 

The Helen Gordon Center Tots and Infants program is moving to Epler Hall this summer for fall term and plans to remain there through the end of the 2025-2026 academic year.

Other SF-12 relocations will happen in winter or spring and spaces are TBD at this time. 

Crane operations

From time to time, there will be cranes stationed on SW Broadway to move equipment on and off the roof.

On those days, the Broadway entrance will be closed, parking restricted and those with offices directly below the rooftop work areas will be relocated for the day or two the crane operation takes.

We are still waiting on details for these “crane picks,” however, the first one will likely be in early October. 

Other parts of the building

The HVAC systems shutdowns will only affect those on the east side (facing Broadway) portion of the building. All other HVAC systems will continue to operate at campus standards throughout the work. 

During both abatement and construction, EH&S, along with a third-party industrial hygiene consulting firm, will conduct air monitoring to ensure adequate ventilation is provided and that temperatures throughout the student union are being monitored.

At this time, no building closures are planned except for the usual campus closures and federal holidays during the work period.

Fourth floor moves

Unrelated to the HVAC/elevator work, but important to folks in Smith, the resource centers on the fourth floor will be exchanging spaces later this summer:

• The Basic Needs Hub will be moving into SMSU 462.

• The Resource Center for Students with Children will be moving into SMSU 458.

• Queer Resource Center will be moving into SMSU 439 with the Women’s Resource Center.

• The Dean of Student Life’s Confidential Advocacy program will be based in the University Center Building. 

Finally ....

This critical maintenance work that is currently funded should be completed by August/September 2026.

We understand the critical maintenance upgrades are a disruption for many in the building and appreciate all the help and cooperation we have already received in planning for this necessary work. 

It's likely this work will challenge our patience at times, but in the end Smith will have higher efficiency HVAC systems with better comfort control, and improved accessibility with more reliable elevators.

March 2025

Note these construction dates are superseded by later communications.

An update on the critical maintenance work underway in Smith*.

• Contractors and designers working with PSU’s Capital Projects and Construction (CPC) division are already busy planning for the replacement of several HVAC and elevator systems in Smith Memorial Student Union. You might see them on walk-throughs in your spaces from time to time.

• Actual demolition (removal) and construction supporting the upgrades — the work that will most likely impact building users — should begin mid-summer. An exact timeline is dependent on when major components can be purchased and delivered to campus. We appreciate everyone who provided Smith Operations with your summer activities schedule and that information is being taken into account.

• Who’s first? The present plan is for work to begin with the HVAC system that serves the Mezzanines and northeast corner of the ground floor and basement. This is the area where the Disability Resource Center, ASPSU and the Veterans Resource Center (among others) are located.

• It is currently estimated that replacement of this first HVAC system will take roughly six to seven months. This is the biggest sub-project in the critical maintenance work – two of Smith’s present 10 HVAC systems are being turned into a single more efficient system. Once work is underway CPC will be able to gauge the actual time it takes to replace a system and provide more accurate timelines on the critical maintenance work.

• All three elevators used by the general public – the two across from the food court/women’s restroom and the Mezzanine elevator – will be upgraded. It is being estimated that each shaft will be out of commission for approximately two months with upgrades happening during the 2026 winter and spring terms. This work is being staggered so that only one elevator will be out of commission at a time. 

• The extent of repairs to critically stretched sections of the Smith roof are still being determined. Work will begin in mid- to late-2026 based on available funds. These repairs should have minimal impact on building users.

How will the critical maintenance work impact student union users on a day-to-day basis? Most of this work is taking place in the mechanical areas of the building. Which means there will be materials and workers passing by in the halls and noises in the walls. 

However, the majority of your work spaces, offices and student areas will remain available to use, should you choose to use them. Smith Operations and CPC will be in contact with your staff when we know more about when your space will be impacted. (A reminder: Not all spaces in the building – particularly those on the west side of the building – will be affected by this work.)

The most noticeable impacts to most users will be:

• During the periods of renovation some offices, centers and spaces will not have building heat or air conditioning, and ventilation will be reduced. When the HVAC system that serves your space is being upgraded, alternative work areas might be needed during extreme weather. Smith Operations will work with you to keep your services available to students, faculty and staff. 

• At no time will the HVAC for the entire building be disengaged. There will always be some heat and air flowing through the building. 

• When elevator work is underway, some of the elevators will be offline. Some will be slower to respond to the call button. How long these disruptions will last is still being determined

We know this level of work in an active building like Smith sounds disruptive but we also know it is less disruptive than the alternative: A 60-plus-year-old HVAC system or heavily used elevator failing without proper planning, potentially rendering sections of the building unusable. Once the HVAC and elevators are upgraded, it will improve temperature control in these areas and elevator accessibility for most users. 

About the Smith critical maintenance work

About the Smith critical maintenance work: In fall 2021, Smith Management collaborated with the Student Fee Committee and the University on a state funding request that would pay for repairs to critical maintenance systems in the building. 

This resulted in an $8.1 million bond backed by SFC funds. With the inclusion of $1.5 million in Smith building reserves, it is a $9.6 million renovation and upgrade of key elevators and HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems, as well as roof repairs. It is estimated the actual work will take place over a period of 18 months to two years.

In April 2025, Smith Management submitted an ask to the SFC to provide additional funds. This was to cover changes in equipment costs, labor charges and increased the scope of the project to include replacing the entire roof of Smith. An audit of the roof in October 2024, paid for by PSU, determined that the entire roof was in need of repairs. 

In August 2025, the Student Fee Committee approved $3.9 million to re-do the Smith roof and upgrade the building's freight elevator. More specific project estimates done in early 2025 determined the original $9.6 million would not be enough to do the roof or keep the freight elevator in the project.  

September 2024

Note these construction dates are superseded by later communications.

Planning has began for the Smith critical maintenance project, a $9.6 million renovation and upgrade of key elevator and HVAC systems in the building.

Smith, PSU Capital Projects and general contractor Swinnerton are developing a timeline for the work that will span the next couple of years.

One of the early stages will be a comfort survey seeking feedback from those with spaces in the building. During the work, elevator service in the building will be reduced at times and some tenants might need to use temporary spaces while work is done in their usual portion of the building. That survey is expected soon.

The critical maintenance project is funded by the Student Building Fee in association with the Student Fee Committee, Smith Union and backed by state bonds.

June 2024

Note these construction dates are superseded by later communications.

In fall 2021, Smith Management began collaborating with the Student Fee Committee on a request for state bonds that would pay for repairs to critical maintenance systems in the building. This resulted in an $8.1 million bond to fund repairs or upgrade certain key systems, some more than 60 years old.

Why? Besides frequent breakdowns, available personnel who can maintain these aging systems might be in short supply or often the systems require expensive replacement parts fabricated by hand as they are no longer commercially available. Most heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) in Smith lack computerized monitoring that allows for more control over room temperatures. Issues with the elevators — well, we all know of those. These critical components of Smith must be replaced before portions of the building become unusable.

Campus Planning and Smith Management are currently securing bids and selecting contractors to do the work. The tentative plan is:

– Once contractors are onboard, final plans and a specific timeline for work will be created by spring 2025. 

– Elevator and HVAC work should begin in April 2025. It is projected to take up to one year.

— During the work period, HVAC in certain areas of the building will be offline. Perhaps for several months. At this stage, it appears one system at a time can be worked on so that the rest of the building will have full HVAC. Those with work spaces in the affected offline areas will be offered temporary space elsewhere in Smith or in neighboring buildings. 

— Elevators might be offline for several weeks. Things won’t be certain until the contractor is onboard, but the current plan is for only one elevator to be offline at a time. Some areas in the building might be taken offline during these repairs if alternative access cannot be coordinated.

If you have questions about the Smith critical maintenance project, contact Mercedes Youngston, Smith's venue manager,
at merced8@pdx.edu or Randy Mishler, Smith's communications coordinator, at rmishler@pdx.edu.