Crews begin work to repair face of UH

Crews inspecting University Hall’s concrete facade will install test patches next month. Photo: Timothy Nguyen

Crews will finish the first round of an inspection of the University Hall facade next week to determine the best way to repair the building’s concrete.

An inspection team is removing concrete samples and loose pieces of concrete for testing, said Bill Bradford, project manager in the Office for Capital Programs.

Employees in University Hall can see the crew on scaffolding outside the windows as it moves down each floor of the 28-story building.

“Things are going well,” Bradford said.

“The samples of concrete are being analyzed so they can put together a couple of test mixtures for repairing the concrete.”

The inspection, conducted by Ratio Architects and Construction Technologies Laboratory, is scheduled to be completed within four months, Bradford said.

Crews will be back working outside University Hall in late September, putting test patches on the building to see if they match the existing concrete, Bradford said.

Some of the work may involve hammer drills that will be heard inside the building.

“There’s going to be a little bit of noise and we appreciate people’s patience and cooperation,” Bradford said. “In the long run, this will really be to the benefit of the campus.”

By December, architects should have completed a plan for repairing the building. Once the plan is approved, the university will bid for contractors and proceed with repairs, which are expected to begin in 2016, Bradford said.