Heavy rainfall from Hurricane Sandy caused leaks in some residence halls and off-campus housing, forcing students to improvise while University workers fixed leaks.
Many of the leaks could not be sealed until it stopped raining, as the caulk used to fix leaks is not effective when surfaces are still wet, according to Chris Moody, assistant vice president for Housing and Dining Programs.
No single hall was particularly affected more than another, according to Moody.
“We had a number of leaks in rooms and common spaces,” Moody said.
Anderson Hall Resident Assistant Peter Conte said his room was flooded.
“There was a waterfall coming out of my windows, and my bed is now a lake,” Conte, a sophomore in the Kogod School of Business, said.
A stairwell and a lounge in Leonard Hall also leaked, according to Kogod sophomore Megan Fredricks.
Hannah Schlechter’s sixth-floor room in Anderson Hall began leaking at 6 p.m. on Oct. 29 with water coming through the ceiling and down a column in the corner of her room.
Facilities Management arrived at 9:30 p.m. the same day and diverted the leak from the column toward the windowsill, Schlechter said.
Nebraska Hall had a partial power outage caused by a large fallen tree on Nebraska Avenue. Three trees were also knocked down on the main campus, according to Grounds Operations Coordinator Stephanie DeStefano.
Maintenance staff moved room by room through residence halls with the goal of responding to every issue as soon as possible, according to Assistant Director of Facilities Operations Holly Mussatti. Staff also responded to drain backups at the Brandywine Building in Tenleytown.
Professional contractors visited campus on Oct. 31 to check residence halls for long-term damage to prevent future problems, according to Mussatti.
The Berkshire Apartments had several leaks, mostly on the building’s west side, with water entering upper-level apartments. Leaks also affected some of the stairwells and one elevator.
Eagle Contributing Writer Peter Seremetis contributed to this report.
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