Possible budget cuts could postpone earthquake resilience renovations to Liberal Arts buildings 2, 3 and 4.
A provision in the California state budget will further cut CSU funding by $100 million if anticipated revenue isn’t raised. The provision has halted the planned seismic retrofitting and renovations, and may push back the project by at least a year and a half.
“The project has not been canceled, only been delayed by the funding crisis,” said Michael Blazey, assistant dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
Though structural reinforcement is a top priority, there is no fear of severe damage should an earthquake hit.
“They are a high priority for seismic retrofit, but if they were in danger for any kind of collapse, we wouldn’t have class in them,” Blazey said.
The 1950s-era buildings were constructed up to engineering codes of the time, but an advanced understanding of earthquakes has led to stronger structural codes. The planned seismic retrofitting will reflect those changes.
“We’ve been through several earthquakes and the buildings are still intact,” said Sue Brown, director of physical planning and construction management.
According to Brown, there is no need to fear using the classrooms.
“We haven’t been directed by anyone not to use them, but just out of a need to further strengthen them, that’s what we are going to be doing,” Brown said.
Brown said the structural engineer will add reinforcement to the walls in certain areas of the buildings so that they are stronger than they are now.
Original plans called for emptying of the buildings during this year’s winter session, with classes being moved to Peterson Hall 1 and 2. Work was scheduled to be completed by fall 2013, with students returning to air-conditioned rooms with new, energy efficient windows and improved class aesthetics.
“The current thinking is that any relocation of people out of LA 2, 3 and 4 would happen, at the earliest, over summer 2012, which would push the completion date back even further 18 months,” Blazey said.
The new plans aim to reinforce the buildings for seismic safety, improve electrical infrastructure for classroom technology, and make the upper floors of the building more easily accessible to handicapped students, a change that will make the buildings compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
“Right now, because budgets got reduced, we had to scale it back to the very core needs of what would be the most benefit to the campus,” Brown said.
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