Campus building repairs still underway after flood damage

Weeks after record-breaking rainfall flooded Chapel Hill, some University buildings are still under repair.

The flooding reached residential, academic and athletic buildings, causing several hundred thousand dollars in damage across campus.

One weight room in Kenan Stadium normally used by the UNC football team is still closed for repairs.

Kevin Best, the assistant athletic director for communications, said the weight room is the last part of the stadium to be repaired.

The water, which came in through the front of the building, was 6 to 10 inches deep. Repairs cost about $650,000, Best said.

He said it will take four to six more weeks for the damaged weight room to open. The football team, which started training camp Aug. 1, has been using a weight room on the other side of the stadium.

The Student Recreation Center on South Road, which closed for several weeks, is now open — though not fully repaired.

Reggie Hinton, the facilities and operations director for campus recreation, said 3 inches of water covered the first floor of the building, damaging the floors of offices and the weight room area.

“The only thing that remains to be completed is part of the weight room floor,” he said. “We’re very thankful for how quickly things are somewhat back to normal.”

Hinton declined to comment on the cost of repairs because the project is incomplete.

Rick Bradley, associate director of UNC’s Department of Housing and Residential Education, said damage to residence halls was minimal. Bradley said the flooding damaged the basement of McIver Residence Hall, adding that it took one day to clean up.

Susan King, dean of the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said the flooding also damaged Carroll Hall.

“There was quite a lot of water that came in through the window,” she said.

Flooding in a large basement classroom displaced summer classes into other classrooms of the building.

“It smelled for a good two weeks,” King said. “It was pretty bad.”

King declined to comment on the estimated total cost of repairs.

Granville Towers is also still under repair.

Kelly Stasko, general manager of Granville Towers, said repairs to the towers mainly consisted of replacing flooring. “The West Tower basement sustained the biggest impact,” she said. “It’ll be a couple more weeks to finish there.”

Stasko said students living in Granville’s West Tower can still access the basement laundry room and mailboxes.

The South Tower basement, which houses a group study room, is also still under repair. Stasko said those repairs will be completed this week. The flood damage to Granville Towers required a professional restoration company. Stasko declined to comment on the estimated total cost of repairs.

“(The damage) was extensive,” she said. “It was definitely an expensive flood.”

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