The Penn Bookstore is continuing a major construction project that began in December 2017 with the installation of a temporary staircase to provide an additional means of access to the store’s second floor. During the spring and the summer, work included the renovation of the store’s restrooms; the refurbishment of its elevator; and the transformation of the cafe into a fully-licensed Starbucks offering a wide range of coffees, to-go meal options, increased seating capacity and the ability to use the Starbucks Mobile App.

The next phase of the project is aimed at upgrading the store’s escalators and will entail the complete disassembly, removal and replacement of its current two escalators. The anticipated completion date is February 2019.

The planned work is essential to improving the reliability and serviceability of the escalators—­the original manufacturer of the equipment that was used in the 1999 installation has ceased operation and, as such, replacement parts are difficult to obtain and maintenance workers are less familiar with the mechanics of the particular model.

Recognizing the important role that the Bookstore plays in campus life, the project has been strategically planned to minimize the impact on the Penn community. The work has been divided into separate periods so as not to impede major University events such as Commencement and Move-In. Given the magnitude of the required work, however, there will be impacts during other activities, such as Homecoming and Family Weekend.

The project’s schedule seeks to maintain the Bookstore’s regular operating hours for the entirety of the project; however, on some days, an earlier evening closing at 8 p.m. (normally 9:30 p.m.) may be required. Temporary partitions will allow the project to move forward while easing any disruption to the shopping experience, merchandise will be relocated from impacted areas and Bookstore staff will be ready to assist customers in finding any repositioned items. The events space at the Bookstore will continue to be available. The current elevator will remain in operation throughout the project and the new staircase will also be an option for visitors to use.

The project will necessitate some street closures, which will occur during low traffic periods. Work will be scheduled to limit noise to certain hours.

The timeline is as follows:

September 13, 2018 to Mid-January 2019—Escalator removal and replacement.

February 2019—Removal of temporary stairs.

Mid-May 2019 to Mid-August 2019—Refurbishment of flooring, fixtures and other enhancements.

Questions regarding this project may be directed to bsd-info-bsd@pobox.upenn.edu