After several pipes broke in Le Mans Hall over winter break, Saint Mary's College has decided to accelerate renovation plans originally intended to begin after the spring semester.
During winter break, a small leak in the Le Mans attic caused a flood in a resident's room and the Financial Aid Office. Pipe replacements in Le Mans began at the end of January and will continue throughout the spring semester.
Bill Hambling, director of Facilities at Saint Mary's, said the new pipes will not only have a longer life history but will save the College time and money.
"The pipes are from the early 1900s and are getting pretty old," Hambling said. "What we are trying to do with these repairs is replace the pipes with new … plastic pipes that will ease both the repair and overall maintenance of pipes throughout the building."
The project was originally planned to commence this summer, but Hambling said one of the reasons they began the repairs earlier was to complete renovations before students returned for the fall semester.
"With all the other renovations taking place this summer and with the different summer activities happening around campus, we needed to get a jumpstart on the Le Mans renovations," Hambling said. "This is a very aggressive project of high magnitude and needed to be pushed up."
Hambling said students have been notified that construction will take place in the public bathrooms daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
"Emails have been sent out to all students regarding the renovations and when certain bathrooms will be unavailable," Hambling said. "There are also floor plans and schedules of when certain bathrooms will be unavailable posted throughout all halls of Le Mans."
Hambling said students have been cooperative with the project so far, and that it is important to remember that these renovations will improve accommodations for all residents.
"Student cooperation is never a problem," he said. "These renovations are to take care of old issues to make it more habitable for all students."
