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Elvehjem Building access restricted to Chazen entry

March 14, 2022

On March 15, access to Elvehjem Building entrances will be restricted and people will need to enter via the Chazen Building (750 University Avenue) and use the third-floor bridge to access Elvehjem spaces. All entrances to the Elvehjem Building will be cordoned off and available for emergency exit only.  

This action is being taken out of an abundance of caution after an engineering analysis conducted as part of a project to evaluate and repair the exterior envelopes of several campus buildings identified issues with the Elvehjem Building’s stone cladding exterior. Repairs will begin in summer 2022.

These access restrictions also require some changes to hours of operation: 

  • Kohler Art Library. Hours modified to align with weekday gallery open hours (10 a.m.–7 p.m.). Weekend hours remain 1–5 p.m. 
  • Staff and Faculty Access. Hours modified to 8:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m. (closing one hour early in the evening).  
  • Most classes held in the Elvehjem Building will be reassigned to new locations effective the week of March 21. The Office of the Registrar will notify instructors of new locations during the week of March 14. 

Hours of operation for the Chazen Museum of Art will remain unchanged (Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m.–5 p.m.), and galleries will remain open and accessible. 

Construction fencing around the Conrad A. Elvehjem Building exterior at the University of Wisconsin–Madison at dusk

Elvehjem Building access is restricted until barriers and canopies are put in place following an engineering analysis that found issues with the stone cladding exterior. The building, on the left, can be accessed through the Chazen Building, on the right. Photo: Jeff Miller

During the project, contractors will install semi-permanent fall protection, including a perimeter fence and protective canopies over building entrances. These barriers and canopies are expected to be in place by the end of May and will remain in place until repairs are complete. 

In the interim, temporary fencing and barriers will be installed and will remain in place until the semi-permanent perimeter fence and protective canopies are installed. All entrances to the Elvehjem Building will be cordoned off with caution tape and available only for emergency exit.  

During this period, the Elvehjem Building will be accessible via the Chazen Building. Once the semi-permanent perimeter fencing and protective canopies are installed, the entrances to the Elvehjem Building will once again be available for normal entrance and exit.