Panel Patched Up

By: C. Harold Pierce

The concrete panel section that crashed three stories below from Russell Hall Sept. 15 has been replaced.

Since then, plywood boards have been screwed to the inside of the guardrails, replacing the decorative mosaic panels.

The college spent about $40,000 for the repairs, using money from a fund allocated for campus maintenance.

But the plywood boards are just a temporary fix.

The long-term solution to replace the plywood is estimated at roughly $400,000, said Michael Collins, vice president of administrative services.

“We expect the design will be functional, but not extravagant. We anticipate the new design will work well with the existing railing system,” Collins said, adding that the plywood must be replaced because they do not meet standards set by the Division of the State Architect.

The college had planned to demolish Russell Hall and rebuild the science facility in 2002.

It has since appropriated funds elsewhere and pushed back demolition of the building to at least 2020, Collins said.

“That building is coming down on its own,” said College President Erlinda Martinez. “We have to do what we can on the short term to move that science project forward.”

TimeLine

• SEPT 9: A guard rail panel weighing about 200 pounds crashed three stories down the R-Building.
• SEPT 15: Panels are replaced with temporary plywood boards costing about $40,000.