Construction of the three-story CDR addition is nearing the “substantial completion” stage, where the space can be occupied and used for its intended function. The basement and first floor of the addition will be ready for occupancy by the Center for Dairy Research by late October 2021. Occupancy of the second floor and installation of important equipment is scheduled to be completed during the fall and winter. At this point, the addition will be operational, but some work will continue to complete commissioning and punch list items.

Click on the image below to watch a video tour of the new addition produced by the Center for Dairy Research.

Contractor C.D. Smith will begin the next phase of the project after the CDR move-in is complete. This will include renovations to the existing Babcock Hall Dairy Plant. Work on the second-floor space planned for the CDR offices has been under construction since spring 2021. While construction continues on the office space, CDR staff are working out of the old Meat Lab building a few blocks west of Babcock Hall. Babcock cheese and ice cream continue to be manufactured by third-party vendors during the plant closure. The Babcock Dairy Store is open for in-person service, after a period of more limited operations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Completion of this phase, which includes the addition of a new raw room on the south end and new flooring and equipment for the dairy plant as well as remodeled office space for CDR (directly above the plant), is scheduled to be complete in fall 2022.

In related project news, Laurent Heller, UW-Madison’s vice chancellor for finance and administration, left the university over the summer for a position at Johns Hopkins University. Rob Cramer was appointed by Chancellor Becky Blank as the interim vice chancellor.