Friday, October 10, 1997
UCLA’s unbuilding
Construction work on Kerckhoff Hall has been halted an entire
year due to funding confusion and troubles with historic-building
preservation codes.
By Carol McKay
Daily Bruin Staff
The second floor of Kerckhoff Hall is a sad, sad place.
Because of construction that has been taking place – or more
accurately, not taking place – the second floor of one of UCLA’s
most historical buildings has become dead space.
The story of construction is one told by many officials with a
tone of disappointment. Original changes – which included
base-isolating the building and simple updating to meet disability
and fire codes – were supposed to last 18 months. Doorways would be
widened, carpeting would be installed, and walls would be painted
on four floors.
That was three years ago, and construction, which has been put
on hold for a full year, is still incomplete.
"It’s been a big project, and it’s had the kind of problems that
you would expect," said Pat Eastman, executive director and chief
executive officer of ASUCLA. "We’re hopeful that it’s going to draw
to a close soon."
But the likelihood of the project being completed anytime in the
near future is not impressive. Once construction starts up again,
it will take nine months to a year to finish, according to Eastman.
And no one is certain when construction will resume.
"That’s of great concern to me since we (currently) aren’t
occupying a great deal of the building," Eastman said.
The construction, which was originally planned before the
Northridge earthquake of 1992, coincidentally aimed to improve
seismic conditions of the building in addition to updating
codes.
The base-isolating portion of the project is something of which
Eastman is proud.
"It’s an impressive project," she said, explaining the process
in which 132 giant rubber pads were inserted into the foundation of
Kerckhoff. "The building was taken apart, jacked up, and the pads
were installed to absorb the shock of an earthquake," Eastman
said.
"You hear a lot of rumors about buildings being built on rollers
or pads," she said. "Well, this one is."
Phase One of the project, which consisted of the base isolating
and other heavy-duty work, "was some very tricky stuff," said Duke
Oakley, assistant vice chancellor of capital programs, design and
construction. "But it was done well."
After the earthquake, however, Capital Programs sought funding
from the Federal Emergency Management Association to cover the
damage. In particular, the spires atop Kerckhoff were badly
damaged.
According to Michael Otavka, ASUCLA’s Facilities Division
operations director, the earthquake actually lifted and rotated
them, and consequently the spires needed to be removed and
reinforced.
Once FEMA became involved in the seismic updating, Eastman said,
there were more requirements that forced the project to be
redesigned to fit strict codes.
"We’re very grateful to FEMA," Oakley said, adding that the
agency provided some $3 million for seismic-damage repairs. "But
they have their rules, and these rules have led to an extra year of
dismay for the people who have to live in Kerckhoff."
According to Oakley, FEMA has a relatively strict interpretation
of standards, following the "Secretary of the Interior’s Historic
Standards 106" code.
The changes brought about by FEMA’s contribution to the project
has affected Phase Two, which includes air-conditioning
installation and accessibility updates. Soon these changes were
complicated by problems with the contractor, Ray Wilson Co., that
was working on the project at that time.
"The contractor wanted too much money for the changes," Oakley
said. Last spring, the contractor was terminated, and according to
Eastman, "the university is now arguing how much we owe them."
"So last October, the project stopped," she said.
For the last year, Kerckhoff Hall has hung in the balance while
the university works out budget problems that were complicated by
FEMA’s involvement, according to Otavka.
"We are trying to see where we’re at with the cost, taking all
the changes into account," he said. "There were many other changes
that were related to the historic preservation of the building that
could have added cost. This is all a result of FEMA’s
involvement."
Otavka explained that because the Kerckhoff Hall seismic project
was not originally designed in accordance with FEMA’s
historic-preservation standards, changes had to be significant,
causing potential budget problems, which in turn brought the
project to a standstill.
While Kerckhoff Hall remains incomplete, several offices from
the second floor have been relocated to space near Lot 32, the
third floor of Ackerman Union and "here and there," said
Eastman.
Later this month, a cost-estimate report is scheduled to
determine the cost of Phase Two, and from there, officials will
have a better picture of a completion date.
According to Eastman, if the estimated cost of the project
significantly exceeds original budget plans, there will be a delay
while the university figures out where to get the money from. If
all else goes as planned, a new contractor will be assigned after
public bidding, and construction will resume.
Although Otavka, Eastman and Oakley all expressed dismay at the
project’s prolonged status, all three are also hopeful of the
future completion of a safe Kerckhoff Hall.
"Certainly, it will be done by next summer," Oakley said. "And
it’s going to be a safe building, ready for another 60 years of
use."
GENEVIEVE LIANG / Daily Bruin
Construction in Kerckhoff Hall has been temporarily halted. This
door on the side of a wall is on the 3d floor, but there is no
floor beneath it.