Extensive repairs are still underway after below-freezing temperatures burst pipes, broke sprinklers and caused flooding across Clemson during winter break.
More than 20 buildings on campus suffered water damage, including Cooper Library, Calhoun Courts and the Biosystems Research Complex, according to an email sent to students last Friday.
Meanwhile, student apartments at Dockside Clemson experienced damage to fire alarms and sprinkler systems, forcing students to find alternative housing.
Dockside residents living in damaged apartment units were told late last week that restoration would take at least two weeks from the start of classes, depending on the floor, according to an email sent to residents.
Residents of the first and second floors, which saw the most damage, may not be able to return to their apartments until the beginning of March.
Dockside is providing residents with a daily rent concession of $100, capped at two months’ rent until they are able to return to their apartment, and has arranged discounts with local hotels.
Many on-campus repairs were completed prior to the start of class, but extensive damage in Cooper Library and the Geology Museum has required additional work.
The first and third floors of Cooper Library will remain closed as SERVPRO, the University’s disaster recovery contractor, continues to restore buildings.
1,200 collection items were damaged by water and need to be replaced, according to a press release by Clemson Libraries.
“I am grateful to our facilities team and all the library faculty and staff who have pulled together to help us reopen Cooper in time for classes to start,” said Chris Cox, dean of Clemson Libraries. “We know how important the library’s collections, services and spaces are to our students, faculty and staff, and while it is unfortunate that this incident occurred, we are working hard to ensure that the services we provide to the University are not disrupted.”
A burst pipe from an HVAC system on the fifth floor caused water to cascade down onto the floors below. The damages are estimated to cost Clemson at least seven figures, according to a report from WYFF4.
