King Hall Expansion Taking Final Shape
The Law School building's new east wing is taking on its final shape and outward appearance as construction of the King Hall expansion has now passed the 70 percent completion mark. The project is on budget and on schedule to be finished in time for UC Davis School of law faculty, students, and staff to occupy the new space in just a little more than four months.
Construction crews are busy with the building's exterior, adding metal panels to cover the light blue areas of the structure's frame and giving the building much of the outward appearance it will have when it is completed. Visitors to the Law School can now get a glimpse of the aesthetics of the new King Hall, which will assume a prominent place along UC Davis' new south entry with a striking façade befitting UC Davis School of Law's status as one of the nation's premier law schools.
Inside the building, the contractor, K.O.O. Construction, has mobilized numerous trades to install electrical and communications systems and bathroom tile, with wood paneling, cabinetry, and interior doors to follow soon. In the courtyard, crews are getting set to install wood panels, benches, and pavers, some of which are still available for naming and inscriptions through the Forever King Hall program.
Meanwhile, planning continues for the renovation phase, which is set to begin immediately after construction of the new wing finishes in May. The renovation will improve the previously existing King Hall facilities to expand and consolidate student organization and journal offices in the basement, add a dozen group study rooms, create two new reading rooms and a reading lounge, provide two elevators, remodel existing bathrooms, and modernize the upstairs classrooms. The renovation is expected to take 18 months, divided into three approximately equal phases: The first six months renovating the basement, the second six months the second floor, and the final six months the first floor.
Each phase of the building project draws upon state and university as well as private support. The UC Office of the President acted last summer to allocate the remaining state general funds needed for the building project, and with the state portion of funding in place, the Law School is continuing work to raise private funds to meet the $8 million building campaign goal and maximize the potential of the renovation phase.
To make a gift to the King Hall Expansion and Renovation project, please visit the Law School's online giving site at www.law.ucdavis.edu/giving. For information on naming a bench, classroom seat, or paver through the Forever King Hall program, please contact Jen Aldridge, Associate Director of Development, at jaldridge@ucdavis.edu.