The ceiling of Loomis Hall has been leaking for years and it may be getting the roofing repairs it needs this summer.  

For the past 15 years, Loomis has been scheduled for demolition. This demolition has made the school hesitant to put resources into the much needed repairs. The current solution to the roof leaks is strategically-placed trash cans to catch the water.   

“It doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the campus and for that reason people have been hesitant to spend dollars to keep it going,” says Provost Stephen Stahl. 

However, the university has lost their use of St. Adelbert and will now have to transition to use Loomis as a swing space for the foreseeable future.  

Loomis is mainly used by the Communication Arts and Sciences department. Stahl says that this was a deliberate choice on the part of the faculty. “We pointed out the structural weaknesses of the building but, particularly on the side of Communication Arts and Sciences, the opportunity for all of them to be fundamentally in one place was enough of an allure that they overlooked the seasonal waterworks,” says Stahl. 

The leaking is isolated to one section of the Loomis building. Over the years parts of the roof have been replaced, while some have not.  

Mark Boyette, Buildings and Grounds Facilities Director, says “This section that we’re having the issue with is long overdue. We’ve patched it and patched it and patched it and the leaks tend to be more severe when we have snow buildup.” 

Once the weather is appropriate, they plan to make the needed repairs to the roof. Boyette says they also plan to repaint the entrances and other parts of the building to make it more presentable. 

Boyette said there are no structural issues despite the leaking due to the building being concrete. There is also no evidence of mold growth and the building is being regularly checked.