The Board of Visitors was briefed Friday on what could evolve into a year of construction along the Lawn with resident chimney renovations this winter and Rotunda roof repairs next March.
The roof will need to be repaired but not completely rebuilt, University Architect David Neuman said.
The roof, which has taken on seven different forms throughout its life cycle, has been the object of investigations for years because of leaking, but a probe sent from the 1975 base step to the roof oculus this summer found a sound structure clear of any damage from the last addition of concrete in the 1970s, he said.
The next steps are to develop details, improve materials and begin reconstruction by next March, Neuman added.
The University has hired John G. Waite Associates, a consultant company specializing in historic preservation, restoration and adaptive use, to lead the project.
The Board did not approve any new designs for the Rotunda because the project is one of restoration rather than rebuilding. The public can expect a lighter shade of white, however, returning the dome to its 1976 appearance, Neuman said.
In contrast to the presentation on Rotunda repairs, review of the Lawn and Range chimney structures elicited debate among members about the future use of resident fireplaces.
While replacing the Lawn room roofs between Pavilions VII and IX this summer, chimneys were observed to need repair. The University called in an outside firm to assess the structures and compile a report, which concluded the chimneys unsafe for fires. Students have been banned from using the fireplaces until safety is restored.
Eight firms have expressed interest in repairing the chimneys, one of which will be chosen by the end of September.
Currently no fire suppression system exists in either the Lawn or Range rooms.
Colette Sheehy, vice president for management and budget, said Lawn residents "unequivocally support" restoration of the fireplaces to working order, including a fire suppression system. In a report, students described how current safety measures, such as the fire-building class for new residents, could be enhanced.
"We wanted to involve the students," Sheehy said. Pat Lampkin, vice president and chief student affairs officer, and Allen Groves, associate vice president and dean of students, contacted head residents of the Lawn and the Range. Students established representatives and evaluated questions from Groves aimed at understanding student opinion about construction around their living quarters.
Installing a fire suppression system is impossible this academic year, Sheehy said. If students are allowed to use repaired fireplaces before the fire suppression system is put in place, Lawn residents are in support of repairing the chimneys by the end of Winter Break. Range residents supported fireplace repairs taking place by February given the same ability to use them.
If students would be prevented from building fires until the suppression system was installed, however, both parties would prefer repairs be made during the summer or during another window outside their residency, Sheehy added. Both Lawn and Range residents were willing to be displaced from their rooms for between five and seven days, though any one room should only take between three and five.
Board member Randal Kirk expressed concern about students building fires in such a historical site. He described fire building as an antiquated practice, asking what accommodations the University makes for the grazing of students' horses.
Current students do rely on radiators for heat, but Vice Rector Mark Kington does not see the issue as a practical concern. "We value tradition here," he said.
Although the Rotunda and Lawn are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kington said he wanted to see the legacy of the Lawn kept alive and fully accommodating students rather than converted into a museum.
Student representative Jonathan Overdevest proposed the creation of fundraising groups so that students can continue living in the Academical Village, a major attraction to the University for prospective students, he said. Buildings and Grounds Committee member Robert Hardie added that former Lawn residents could raise the money to cover the costs of maintaining student residency rather quickly.
Sheehy said the administration does not have a recommendation at this time.
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