Know Before You Start

Before embarking on your project, a successful capital project begins by understanding the process and what to expect. Capital projects have many components beyond construction, from regulatory approvals and permits to procurement of services, design and more.

Read the guidelines below to get a sense of which category your project will fall into, in terms of size and scope. This understanding will allow you to plan and schedule your project accordingly.

Unsure which category your project may fall under? Contact us and we will talk to you to ensure you have an understanding of what to expect.

Project schedules vary depending on the total estimated project cost and follow the schedules below. Please be mindful of these timeframes when planning your project to make sure your project initiation form is submitted in advance of the estimated work required.

  • Small and Summer Projects
    • Small summer project requests must be received by October 1 to ensure completion prior to the subsequent fall semester. Requests for small summer projects submitted after October 1, as well as for more complex projects, will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis and scheduled according to the time required and the pending workload.
    • May cost up to $500,000
    • Usually involve one or two trades such as paint, carpet or furniture, but may sometimes involve modification to HVAC or other building systems
  • Mid-size projects
    • Typically take 8 to 12 months to design and construct
    • May cost between $500,000 to $1,000,000
    • Usually require outside consultants and a general contractor or construction manager, involve multiple construction trades and require ordering long lead items such as steel or mechanical equipment
  • Large Projects
    • Typically take more than 12 months to design and construct.
    • May cost over $1,000,000
    • Usually require outside consultants such as an architect and engineer to design and a general contractor or construction manager to build

Capital Project Management and Manhattanville Development Group provide a wide range of services to assist University faculty and departments with evaluating the feasibility of new construction, renovation, and space or building reuse projects, including: 

  • Design and compliance development of existing conditions information and planning or regulatory history of parcels or buildings 
  • Planning development of preliminary programmatic requirements and conceptual planning options to determine the potential best use of space and/or building 
  • Procuring and managing of consultant services for feasibility study projects 
  • Analyzing implementation considerations, including and not limited to regulatory and public approvals requirements, campus design, planning guidelines, and project costs