Re: Construction Problems With Library Tower (peter) -- WELCOME TO THE PIERPONT UMASS MESSAGE BOARD

[ Show ]

Support VoyForums

[ Shrink ]

VoyForums Announcement: Programming and providing support for this service has been a labor of love since 1997. We are one of the few services online who values our users' privacy, and have never sold your information. We have even fought hard to defend your privacy in legal cases; however, we've done it with almost no financial support -- paying out of pocket to continue providing the service. Due to the issues imposed on us by advertisers, we also stopped hosting most ads on the forums many years ago. We hope you appreciate our efforts.

Show your support by donating any amount. (Note: We are still technically a for-profit company, so your contribution is not tax-deductible.) PayPal Acct: Feedback:

Donate to VoyForums (PayPal):

[ Login ] [ Contact Forum Admin ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1 ]

Subject: Re: Construction Problems With Library Tower (peter)

Author:
Peter Lewicke

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 16:52:56 06/20/05 Mon
In reply to: Robb 's message, "Construction Problems With Library Tower (peter)" on 22:00:54 06/18/05 Sat

>I know the library tower was open for business in 75
>when I first went to UMass. It was insufferably hot
>inside that May because the AC was reportedly not
>working.
>
>There was another rumor that the I've not confirmed
>that the tower had some novel suspension using cables.
>Seems unlikely but the rumor was there was a
>miscalculation of the maximum weight this suspension
>scheme could handle... no one calculated the weight of
>the books. Hence that's why there were some many
>floors with study rooms and so many other libraries
>still around campus... such as in Hasbroouck and
>Moore.
>
>I seem to recall being able to walk right up to the
>tower back in 75/76. I don't recall the small fence
>around the library until maybe fall 77. At first it
>was chips of bricks from the expansion joints between
>the bigger blocks of veneer. Then there was fear the
>bigger sections, themselves, were not properly
>attached. That's when the tunnel to South College...
>the old building to the west, was reinforced with
>tires and the tower was closed for a year or so. All
>the books were all moved back to Goddell during that
>time.
>
>If anyone can flesh out the timelines, feel free.

I was around there in '75-6 and earlier and also remember the library without a fence around it. It was finished in '73. Moving the books was scheduled over three years, so most books were moved by '75. I don't remember when the bricks started chipping, but it wasn't long after it opened.

I understand that the plans were off the shelf from the architectural company, but I don't know anything about cable stabilization. I thought that it was an ordinary steel frame tower. Before and during construction there was a great deal of annoyance with the type of building. About 30% of each floor is for elevators. A six story building covering the main level would have provided more effective floor area.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Subject	Author	Date
Re: Construction Problems With Library Tower (peter)	Peter Lewicke	00:10:37 06/21/05 Tue