ISU Building Declared Unsafe, Must Be Closed Down

State inspectors say a historic building on Idaho State University campus is unsafe. All faculty and students will soon have to evacuate Colonial Hall.

As part of a normal building review, ISU hired Gibson Engineering to examine the 60-year-old Colonial Hall.

Gibson had only bad news to report; the foundation itself is cracked in two pieces, and the exterior walls are unreinforced brick, issues that the report says, ?could spell disaster?.

The university administration wants to make it very clear, although sudden settling of the building or a moderate earthquake could cause disaster, the threat isn’t imminent.

“You can understand when you have students and faculty, you don’t want to run the risk of having one person seriously injured or, heaven forbid, killed,? ISU Marketing and Communications Director Mark Levine said.

So faculty and students will need to completely vacate the building by Tuesday.

Until the building is deemed safe, they will have to set up offices and study rooms somewhere else.

“In order to make sure they are safe they are going to be given temporary quarters while a second study is undertaken,? Levine said.

Just like a patient getting a dire diagnosis from a doctor, the university is asking for a second opinion.

Another company will take a look at Colonial Hall.

“We’re hopeful that this is temporary and we’ll try to make it quick as possible in terms of finding a solution, but it all depends on what they find, and what it would cost to fix,? Levine said.

The original report said repairs might not be practical and suggested demolishing the building.