Heafey open for the summer

By Mary Georgevich

A change in plans for the renovation of the air conditioning system in the Heafey Law Library this summer will allow law students in summer classes or studying for the bar examination to continue to use the building.

The air conditioning system in Heafey was originally going to be torn out and replaced over the summer, which would have required the building to be closed until the project could be completed. However, project manager Eshaya Dekasha found a less expensive and less disruptive solution that will not require closing the building.

The Heafey building is a part of a three-building complex: Heafey, Bergin Hall and the connecting building. Each building has its own air conditioning system. Mary Emery, library director in the law school, said this disjointed system sometimes results in a variance in temperature from area to area in the building.

"We have microclimates throughout the building," said Mary Hood, executive law librarian.

Assistant Vice President for University Operations Joe Sugg explained that the buildings were connected in phases, and each air conditioning system serves its own area.

Hood and Emery said they had complained about the temperature issues before.

"(University operations) receives frequent calls from us, so they're very much aware of the maintenance issue," Emery said.

Sugg said he wasn't aware of the frequency of complaints.

"I really don't know about complaints. We know the system isn't working cost effectively or efficiently," said Sugg, who estimates the current system to be 25 to 30 years old. "They're old and wearing out," Sugg said.

The project involves fixing the air conditioning system for Heafey and the connecting portions of the building, Sugg said.

"We're going to work on the air handlers themselves, up on the roof," Dekasha said.

While most of the work will be taking place on the roof, Dekasha said it is difficult to avoid disrupting the students' study environment with the many construction noises. "With any construction, you're going to be able to hear it," he said.

One of the air handlers for Heafey will be replaced, while the other will have some parts replaced, Sugg said.

Hood said they were initially notified about the plans to close the building in October. The staff at Heafey had made arrangements to use other spaces, such as Nobili and libraries at other law schools in the area. They were told that the interim library space, which has already been torn down to begin construction on Buck Shaw stadium to prepare for the Earthquakes soccer team, would not be available.

Then, in mid-March, they were told that the building would not be closed after all.

"We found a better way," Sugg said. The new plan costs about $1 million less and will be less disruptive to the law school without compromising the quality of the repairs, he said.

Sugg said he didn't want to release the estimated cost of the project until contracts have been signed.

"We anticipate a perfectly fine and ordinary summer serving stressed-out law students who are trying to prepare themselves to take the bar exam," Emery said. The bar exam will be given at the end of July.

Construction will begin May 15 and will be completed by August 1. Work will begin as soon as the law school break starts and it should be finished in time for 1L orientation to begin.

Sugg said the development office began to plan for this project about two years ago. The decision work on the roof instead of in the building was made around mid-January of this year.

Contact Mary Georgevich at (408) 554-4546 or mgeorgevich@scu.edu.