Human Ecology units relocate due to MVR structural problems

By Jacquie Powers and Susan Lang

Due to recently determined structural problems, all occupants of Cornell's Martha Van Rensselaer (MVR) north building are being relocated to temporary offices in other buildings. The north wing was closed July 13 with a "ribbon tying" ceremony, officiated by Patsy M. Brannon, the Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean of the College of Human Ecology.

To officially close off the north wing of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall -- and provide some respite during the difficult transition for Human Ecology faculty, students and staff members involved in the move -- Dean Patsy Brannon, center, is joined by S. Kay Obendorf, left, associate dean for research and facilities, and Paul Streeter, director of finance and administrative operations, and other MVR community members in a "ribbon-tying" ceremony July 13 at the entrance to the temporarily evacuated wing. Charles Harrington/University Photography

The relocation, prompted by the discovery and subsequent analysis by outside experts of cracks in the building's concrete floor slabs, affects approximately 150 university faculty, staff and students who occupied the reddish brick, state-owned building. These include occupants of the dean's office, administrative offices and programs that affect all units in the college, some classrooms and laboratories, and Media and Technology Services' media and satellite operations.

A feasibility study will be conducted to determine what remedial action needs to be taken, Brannon said. Work on the building, which houses a portion of the New York State College of Human Ecology, is expected to last at least a year. The building was first occupied in 1966 and runs along Forest Home Drive.

Facilities personnel observed irregularities in the floor several months ago while the college was undertaking a renovation project that included removal of deteriorated carpet. Cornell then notified the State University Construction Fund (SUCF), which contracted with a consulting firm, John P. Stopen Engineering Partnership, of Syracuse, said Gregg Travis, director of the Statutory Office for Capital Facilities at Cornell.

"The consultant determined deficiencies exist, with the result that the floor slabs do not meet current state building code for load capacity," Travis said. Travis said SUCF managed the original design and construction contract for the building.

Brannon reports that entire units are moving to temporary spaces, many in the original Mann Library building. The Bronfenbrenner Life Course Center and the Family Life Development Center are moving to the third and second floors, respectively, on the south side of the building. Media Services' television and video editing personnel are moving to the second floor (south) and the Web Production Group to the first floor (northwest). The CIT terminal is moving to what was the original Stone Microcomputer Laboratory, where a Human Ecology graduate student terminal area is being set up in one area and a community and undergraduate student space in another area. The open lobby of the building will have study and conversation space for Human Ecology undergraduate students to replace the Student Commons in MVR, said Sharon Kay Obendorf, the associate dean for research and facilities of the college.

Professors emeriti are moving to the front half of the north reading room on the first floor, with project space for FLDC and BLCC located in the back half of this space. Obendorf said graduate students from across the college and the division will have desk space in the first floor south reading room. Cornell Cooperative Extension units that were located in MVR Hall are moving on the north side of the second floor in Mann with 4-H/Youth Development moving to the west end and the technology group to the east end.

"Our goal is to have the furniture, equipment, files, etc., into the assigned space by the start of the fall semester so that there is some time for the individuals to settle into the new assigned location," said Brannon. "We hope to have at least temporary spaces for the TV studio and DEA woodshop soon."

Department of Human Development faculty and staff will be predominantly on the ground floor of MVR; Policy Analysis and Management faculty and staff will move to offices on the east half of the first floor and on the west half of the central portion of the second floor of MVR.

To ensure security, administrators are planning building access using a card access system.

"This requires the installation of new equipment and the entry of the occupants' personal identification into a computer system," Obendorf said. The new system will allow off-hours access to the new work spaces.

"Every unit throughout the college has been impacted and in some units, every single computer, for example, is being relocated. The efforts and dedication that our administrative managers and the facilities and computer groups in the college and division have expended have been phenomenal," Brannon said. "They have worked tirelessly to make this transition happen safely and effectively.

"In addition, this has been a tremendous communitywide effort with units across campus coordinating to achieve this resettlement. I am proud of our college community and very appreciative of the university community."