Constructing a new building like Woodson Hall takes more than just wood, concrete and steel. It also takes lots and lots of wires.

As the internet and phone service provider for NC State, the Office of Information Technology (OIT) Communication Technologies (ComTech) unit has been involved in the building from the ground up.

During the Woodson Hall design process, which wrapped up in June 2022, ComTech collaborated with the architects to provide a design that laid out the physical layer of Woodson Hall’s networking infrastructure.

“We connect each of these buildings back to the rest of campus and, thereby, to the world,” said Jason Proctor, director of engineering, construction and critical facilities. “We have to distribute that to all the labs, offices and classrooms. So every corner of the building, our department is involved in getting it connected.”

Located on the Brickyard where the famed former Harrelson Hall stood, Woodson Hall will serve as the hub for the Integrative Sciences Initiative (ISI). It will house more than 20 leaders in chemistry, biochemistry, physics, engineering, textiles and science education for a unique interdisciplinary approach to molecular science.

Throughout construction, ComTech has supervised progress to ensure all requirements are being met.

“We have very strict and detailed specifications that we expect everyone from designers to installers to follow. At the end of the day, after the install and after the building’s turned over to us, it’s our responsibility to keep the building up and running and maintain it,” said Alvin Gilmore, assistant director of informal projects and records.

The project also requires a lot of communication with the incoming Woodson Hall tenants. Many faculty and staff will move from other locations on campus while groups like Facilities and Security Applications and Technologies are involved in every building on campus.

ComTech works with everyone to understand their particular needs and to get them set up on the network.

“We communicate back and forth with the customer all through this process to make sure that when people move into the building, they can plug in or connect to our wireless network,” said Kristina Kelly, associate director of network operations.

Once construction wraps up this fall, all the equipment — from wires to switches to wireless access points — will be installed and meticulously documented. The team will maintain approximately five telecommunications closets, three cabinets, 25 switches and 115 wireless access points throughout the building.

They will also manage a data caching room, a critical facility that will support ISI’s complex computing and storage needs.

“We’re looking forward to doing the Woodson install because everything is fresh and clean. Our telephony techs take a lot of care so our closets are neat and organized,” said Kelly. “Our install team is responsible for configuring, connecting and installing all the switches. Because of their superstar capabilities, they’re able to handle this project in addition to the full load of installation projects they already have and knock it out without any problem.”

Woodson Hall is slated for occupancy, in part, this fall, with faculty and staff moving into offices and labs. Classes are expected to start in summer session 2027.

The building is just one of many across campus that ComTech keeps connected.

“I get out a lot and get to meet people that rely on the campus network,” said Gilmore. “I like the gratification of knowing that I’m doing something that provides a better work environment for employees and a study environment for the students.”

Though they’ll be neatly hidden in enclosed raceways and telecommunications closets, the wires lining Woodson Hall will soon power molecular research, innovation and student success right in the heart of the Brickyard.