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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 29, 1992)
The Money Pit S By Mark Harms Staff Reporter In Richards Hall, the roof leaks, ventilation is poor and the paint is old and chipped. No storm windows keep out the cold, and there is no central air-con ditioning. Built in 1909, Richards Hall is one of the oldest buildings on the University of Ncbraska-Lincoln campus. It also is one of the worst in terms of maintenance, Douglas Ross, professor of art, said. Richard McDermott, director of UNL’s Facilities and Management Department, agreed. “It’s by far the worst building on City Campus,” he said. But John Benson, director of In stitutional Research and Planning, said that since the joint Academic and Central Planning Committees placed Richards eighth on their list of priorities for capital improve ment last month, it probably will not be renovated any time soon. “To be realistic, if reports from the (Nebraska) Legislature arc true, we’re going to be in a tight situation financially,” he said. enanccsare sum mai mcnarus will gel an overhaul within the next two years, Benson said. “A lot of projects arc competing for a limited amount of funding,” he said. Projects ranked above Richards on the joint committee’s priority list include: asbestos removal in Burnell Hall, hazardous waste removal and storage on East Campus and an addition to Love Library. Neither Benson nor McDermott would estimate the cost of renovat ing Richards, but a 1990 estimate put it at more than $9 million. McDermott said Richards had been on the priority list at least three years and “probably a lot longer.” Despite his doubt that it would be renovated soon, Benson said Richards stood a pretty good chance of getting maintenance money for fixing leaks in the roof and install ing storm windows. Among its other problems, Ross said, Richards is inaccessible for people who use wheelchairs. If a disabled student wants to take an art course, he said, the department must move the class to another building. Disabled students also have no access to art equip ment in Richards that cannot be moved, he said. Joseph Ruffo, chairperson of the | I Department of Art and Art History, called the situation very serious. “If you can’t gel into the building, that’s pretty serious,” he said. “I’d like to see immediate atten tion given to handicapped accessi bility and ventilation and air condi tioning in some rooms.” Ross, who has taught classes in Richauls since 1974, remains skep tical of the administration’s efforts to fix up the building. “They do this every few years, and nothing ever happens,’’ he said. “I bet nothing gets done at Richards Hall before I retire.” Staff reporter Rainbow Rowell con tributed to this story. l A view into the wax room through a hole in a wall. The outside of Richards Hall hides an interior that is falling apart, students say. When a person enters the painting studio a wave of heat and paint fumes hits them in the face. Deb Oden, a junior art major, says the ventilation is very poor especially in the area where paintings are dried. The Art League is pushing to make conditions safer and more comfortable. Richards Hall suffers from years of neglect, lack of funds, officials say Right: The bowels of the basement are dark, dirty space. Below: Tom Towater, a senior art major, works in the wax room before casting a bronze sculpture. The wax room is probably the worst room in Richards Hall, he said. I - it It’s by far the worst building on City Campus. Richard McDermott, director of UNL s facilities and Man agement Department -*♦ - Photos by Julia Mikolajcik There is only one women’s restroom in Richards Hall; it has only one toilet. Students say it is a tiny room that is • usually about 91 degrees because the heater is always on. ' The most noticable flaw in Richards Hall is the constant high temperature, students say. The heaters are always on, winter or summer. Students say the building is always hot even in the winter.