Preliminary damage estimates for Goldwater Center could total somewhere between $500,000 and $900,000, facilities management officials said Friday.
More than two weeks after a four-inch chilled water pipe burst in Goldwater Center flooding six floors, crews have slowly begun the process of estimating damages. ASU facilities management will meet with the state risk management Tuesday to discuss the losses.
Up to $100,000 of repairs will be covered by state risk management. Repairs exceeding that will be covered by the state risk management insurance company, said Dave Brixen, facilities management director of operations and management services.
Officials said the damage throughout the building was extensive.
"There are a large number of things that have to be addressed and by the time you spread that over six floors and a basement, it's a lot of work," Vance Linden, assistant director for facilities management, said.
The two passenger elevators in the building will remain closed for repairs after water from the flood ran down the elevator shafts and caused significant damage to the drywall. Nearly half of the drywall in the elevator shafts will need to be replaced, Linden said.
In order to dry out the walls, blowers were brought in to help circulate air.
Starting at the floor, approximately 12 to 18 inch horizontal sections of drywall were removed to aid in the drying process.
Chemically treated water that spilled from the chilled water line ran down the walls and reacted with some of the copper telephone wires causing damage to telephone equipment.
The basement, which houses research labs, offices and expensive electron microscopes, sustained damage; the microscopes were not affected.
Over the next few weeks, crews will continue to replace and repair carpeting, ceiling tiles, elevators, light fixtures and drywall.
Crews were able to restore fire alarm systems and electricity to the building last week.
Classes have resumed and all faculty and students have returned to the building.
Reach Christina Higdon at grimm119@aol.com.
