Renovations to cause steam outages at MU

COLUMBIA — Renovations to Lafferre Hall at MU will cause sections of the campus to experience a steam outage on Wednesday and Friday.

The outage is necessary to allow a contractor to tie in a temporary steam line for the Lafferre Hall renovation project, said Phil Shocklee, associate director for campus facilities. All air conditioning, heat and hot water will be interrupted for the duration of the outage.

Marty Walker, director of administrative services for the College of Engineering, said that the college is trying to be good neighbors on campus and not inconvenience anyone with the outage.

The steam will be switched off at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday and is scheduled to be turned back on at 10:30 p.m. the same day. The buildings that will be affected by Wednesday’s outage are the Academic Support Center, Switzler Hall, Parker Hall, Student Health Building, Noyes Hall, McAlester Hall, McAlester Annex, the Geology Building and part of Lafferre Hall.

Friday’s outage will occur between 6.30 a.m. and 8.30 p.m. The steam will be switched off in Jesse Hall, Swallow Hall, the Chancellor’s

Residence, Pickard Hall, Lafferre Hall 1991 Addition, Gannett Hall, Neff Hall and Neff Hall Annex.

Shocklee said he thinks the outage will be of minimal convenience for students, faculty and staff members.

“We have scheduled the outage between the heating and cooling period to minimize the inconvenience,” he said. “Hopefully no one on campus even notices it.”

Walker said he thinks the steam outage is a small price to pay for an improved campus.

“The shortages are the result of the outgoing improvements to the College of Engineering but also to the whole campus, he said.

According to the MU College of Engineering Web site, the Lafferre Hall renovations began in September 2007 and are scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2009.