UNCW: Buildings must be braced for future hurricanes
WILMINGTON, NC (StarNews) — As rebuilding continues at the University of North Carolina Wilmington after Hurricane Florence, campus leaders are trying to take future storms into account.
Chancellor Jose Sartarelli gave an update on recovery efforts at Thursday’s Board of Trustees meeting. A preliminary cost estimate came to $139.6 million campus-wide, with $59.1 million of that coming from the storm’s damage to science building Dobo Hall alone.
Vice Chancellor for Business Affairs Miles Lackey said most campus buildings constructed before 2005, including 1992-designed Dobo, had roof shingles rated for winds up 90 mph. Florence’s highest recorded gust in the area was 105 mph.
“We also have updated codes now that we will need to comply with,” Lackey said. “You’re basically taking that building apart and you’re going to have put it back together again.”
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