UNC buildings still cleaning up after flood

Campus buildings affected by the record-breaking rainfall that flooded Chapel Hill June 30 are still undergoing repairs — forcing some students to change up their normal routines.

Athletic facilities, a residence hall and other campus buildings sustained flood damage.

The Student Recreation Center on South Road has been closed to users due to damages from the flooding.

Reggie Hinton, the facilities and operations director for campus recreation, said most of the first floor of the SRC was flooded, damaging its front entrance, offices, weight room and carpeting.

He said in the days since the flood, the building has been dried out and is undergoing repairs. The building should be reopened by the start of the fall semester, he said.

Hinton said officials are discussing preventative measures to deal with flooding in the future.
“The conversation about future flood prevention is on the table,” Hinton said.

Kevin Best, the assistant athletic director for communications, said Kenan Stadium was also severely damaged by flooding.

“Since practice begins Aug. 1, the flood does not affect athletes’ practice, but they have to work out in the weight room on the other side of the stadium,” Best said.

He said the first floor of the Kenan Football Center and the Charlie Justice Hall of Honors were flooded.

As a result, carpets in the weight room and equipment room in the stadium were damaged, forcing officials to move equipment out.

Neither Best nor Hinton would comment on the estimated total cost of damages.

Larry Hicks, director of housing and residential education, said though flooding damaged McIver Residence Hall, other residence halls on campus were unaffected.

Hicks said the flood affected McIver’s basement, but cleanup crews finished efforts to dry out the building last week.

“Our grounds maintenance crew and housing maintenance crew — who have been doing good work for the last 10 years — are making the best efforts to minimize the impacts of the flooding,” Hicks said.

Hicks also said Granville Towers was badly affected by flooding, but officials at that site could not be reached for comment on the damage.

Carroll Hall was also damaged by flooding.

Chris Roush, senior associate dean for undergraduate studies in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which is housed in Carroll Hall, said flood water seeped into the auditorium in the basement.

Though Roush said the drying process has been completed in the building, some classes previously held in the basement are still being held in other parts of the building.

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