Strange but I haven’t seen a post about this from interim VP Keith Frazee’s well paid Around the O PR flacks – I suppose it might make their bosses look bad – but UO’s student reporters are on the story. From the Daily Emerald, here:
Kalapuya Ilihi Residence Hall, a newer dormitory at the University of Oregon which opened its doors in 2017, has been temporarily shut down for the 2023-2024 school year. The hall is expected to re-open in the fall of 2024.
University officials claim the reason for the closure was because of cracks in several of the walls throughout the dormitory.
The expenses put into initially building Kalapuya Ilihi totaled $45 million, accordingsto NorthWest Engineering, the construction company which completed the project.
… With the temporary closing of Kalapuya Ilihi, many resident assistants who were assigned to work at the hall have been forced to find new dormitories to work at for the upcoming school year.
“Out of the blue, we got an email that Kalapuya would be closed for offline repairs, that all the ARC [Academic Residential Community] RA’s would be replaced, and that we would get more information about our new hall assignments at a later date,” Avery Clifford, an ARC resident assistant who was previously assigned to work at Kalapuya Ilihi, said. …
This is the second UO dorm with crack. From 2015:
The University of Oregon filed a lawsuit against the designers and contractors who worked on the planning and construction of Global Scholars Hall. The suit, filed against two contractors and an architectural firm, claims the damages will exceed $8.5 million.
The hall’s residents were informed by email on March 13 from Vice President for Student Life Robin Holmes.
In the email, embedded below, Holmes said the building was inspected by two different “engineering experts” who determined it is safe.
Holmes also wrote, “We believe that concrete floors are deflecting beyond the normal limits and the deflection is causing substantial stress and/or cracking or a combination of both, of the floors, walls and ceilings.
These projects are no bid contracts arent they ? Was that the new dorm intertwined with the shady city selection process associated with that questionable UO track meet that mandated demolishing Hayward ? It seems like no bid contracts often lead to defective projects with over inflated prices….or are associated with projects that are not needed in the first place. I was doing some reading recently that suggests there may be some type of toxic contamination or dump at or near or under the physical plant along the millrace. Perhaps the Urban Farm is lucky to have been sent packing from that site they had nearby. UO should be forced to evaluate all on campus or riverfront sites with toxic contamination. There have been rumors for decades that plenty of waste was buried at the location of that playing field next to Autzen footbridge. The story was that it was buried by the UO back when it was still legal to do so. I realize the campus planning committee does not give a damn about these issues. If they ever decide to change that would be a good topic to explore.
Where can I read more about this waste being buried?
Maybe they should subcontract the dorm projects to Good Old Uncle Phil (GOUP). Say what you will, he gets the buildings done. No crack in the Jock Box or the Phildo!
Agreed. I know from family connections predating my time at UO that Mr. Knight has long had a taste for good architecture, and I think UO is the better for it. The new Hayward Field is my favorite. The Phildo has grown on me – as these things will – and the Jock Box is spectacular. On the other hand Knight Campus just looks cheap – which it was not – and the sky bridge looks like the unwanted afterthought it was.
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I have high hopes for the glorious PLC replacement that Knight has promised to CAS Dean Chris Paulson, as soon as he convinces me to retire.
Yes, the Harbaugh Institute for Advanced Study is planned for the Inner Courtyard. We all await this glorious culmination of a storied life of service to our world-class (we are constantly reminded) University. @!!!!!
Not long after opening, the first floor water fountain had been leaking causing major damage to the very expensive flooring – repairs paid by UO, not King Phil.
Hayward Field does not offer adequate rain cover.
Poor execution.
It wasn’t built for indoor T&F events, so what’s the complaint?
Public records requests for the city of Eugene inspections / approvals of these construction projects?
Crappy concrete, crappy inspection…GO DUX!