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Grainger Hall to be Rebuilt not Renovated Officials at Longwood College have decided to reconstruct, rather than renovate, Grainger Hall, which suffered extensive damage during the April 24 fire that swept through the historic center of the campus. According to Dave Harnage, executive vice president for administration and finance, "constructing a new building will serve Longwood better and be more cost effective and efficient in the long run."  The
decision to reconstruct Grainger came nearly five months after the April
24 fire that completely destroyed the historic Rotunda and Ruffner complex.
Although adjacent Grainger Hall survived the fire, the building sustained
extensive fire, smoke, heat, and water damage that included the collapse
of the roof onto the top floor. Damage displaced 30 faculty members
and destroyed years of research and personal belongings. During
the recovery phase, the interior of the building was gutted and additional
infrastructure problems were discovered that might have existed before
the fire. According to Harnage, "We had structural problems with that
building. We couldn't renovate the building to its previous status without
addressing these structural issues. Plus there's no guarantee
that if we renovated, Grainger would not have developed sick building
syndrome a few years down the road. It's all about structural integrity
and having a safe environment for our students and and faculty."
It
took over four months to dry and dehumidify Grainger Hall in order for
structural engineers to make an accurate assessment of the building's
safety and future potential. The
college pursued an independent and intensive study and evaluation of
the existing structure that included three different structural analyses
and a material analysis of the existing bricks, mortar, wooden supports, and perimeter walls.
A
new Grainger Hall will also be more aesthetically compatible with
the reconstructed Ruffner complex and Rotunda. "All the bricks will
match," Harnage stated, "and, better still, we will have a complete,
integrated complex that will meet our programming needs for the next
40-50 years."
Dr.
Patricia Cormier, president of Longwood College, stated, "It will
cost us more to rebuild, but that will be money well spent. The safety
of our students is our first priority." The
college will have to pay the difference between what the
insurance company will pay and what reconstruction will cost. The
total cost will not be determined until the design phase is completed.
The college will then submit a request to
the General Assembly to provide funding for that differential.
 Demolition
of Grainger Hall, which was constructed as part
of the Ruffner complex and opened in 1903, began on September 24.
Workers preserved certain architectural elements such as keystones,
columns, pedestals, lintels, and decorative masonry work that adorned
the façade and portico of the building. Construction
priorities over the next few months will be the renovation of Main
Tabb residence hall that has been fitted with a new roof and should
be ready for occupancy by the beginning of the spring semester. Next
on the agenda will be the reconstruction of Grainger Hall in order
to accommodate the 30 faculty members who were displaced
to temporary offices as a result of the fire.
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Based
on the final reports from architects, structural engineers, and insurance
officials, Harnage stated that, "a
newly constructed Grainger Hall will serve the long-range interests
of Longwood College much better than a "renovated" Grainger Hall.
A new building can be designed to look like the Grainger we knew,
but it will also incorporate a re-programmed and designed interior
and infrastructure that will be safer and more efficient."