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| Varsity Gym elevator construction setback |
Chris Bohle
Senior Staff Writer
Business Affairs Beat
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Laura McCarthy | The Appalachian
Equipment occupies a large majority of space
in Varsity Gym. The project will now more likely be completed the
first week of December. |
Construction on the elevator for
Varsity Gym was recently delayed four weeks as workers dealt with
large pools of water underneath the building’s foundation.
“When we started digging, we ran into a lot
more groundwater than we had expected to,” said Patrick A. Beville,
manager of the project.
The elevator is being constructed on the Rivers
Street side of the building, blocking several former parking spaces
as well as thru-traffic on an outdoor covered walkway. |
Since Varsity Gymnasium
sits in the Boone Creek flood plain, the structure was originally
equipped with a de-watering system underneath its foundation. It was
intended to alleviate problems of flooding by directing rainwater
into the creek.
Dr. Clyde Robbins, director of design and construction, said when
they began cutting into the foundation, they found the de-watering
system had been clogged with silt, creating a pool of water where
the elevator shaft was to be.
“We had to put in several ‘well points,’ which eventually
pumped the water from the building into the creek,” said Robbins.
“The whole thing took about four weeks to pump all of the water
out.”
Beville said there was so much water they were often pumping up to
25 gallons a minute in order to dry up the pools.
“It made a little bit of a mess, and put us behind, but we’re
back on schedule now,” said Beville.
The project, which began over the summer, will effectively transform
Varsity Gym into a more handicap-friendly building, as well as keep
it up-to-date with current building regulations.
“[Varsity Gym] is not accessible to the handicapped at all right
now,” said Robbins. “[This project] has to be done before
further renovations can take place.”
In addition to the elevator, construction will soon begin on more
bathrooms and a new fire alarm system.
“Before you can renovate a building, you have to meet a certain
set of requirements to bring it up to code,” said Robbins. “[These
projects] will get the building ready for the general renovation.”
Robbins said he was not sure where the bathrooms
would go or when they would be constructed, but the fire alarm system
is something that he would like to see installed in the very near
future. |
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