Technician
friday april
29 2011
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
Bell Tower undergoing repairs The Memorial Bell Tower is having slight renovations to ensure it’s still around in the future.
Repair and Renovation of N.C. State University Memorial Bell Tower:
Chelsey Francis
Problem: Water entering the tower through small windows and leaky mortar joints causing damage to the tower interior Solution: Reduce the leaks at the roof slab, seal the window openings and waterproof the second floor slab. Then repair and paint the steel beams and steel plates.
Senior Staff Writer
Like many other buildings around for more than 60 years, the Memorial Bell Tower is getting what some consider a much needed renovation. Problem: Weathering has discolored the Although it took thirty years to congranite stone and deteriorated the exterior struct, the Bell Tower has been an icon for mortar joints. N.C. State since it was completed in 1949. Solution: Repoint exterior mortar and wash In the decades that followed, water seeped tower. inside the building and harmed some of its surfaces, according to Andy Snead, direcProblem: Marble ceiling and wall panels in tor of Design and Construction Services. the shrine room have been severely damaged According to Snead, this is the first of by water infiltration. what will likely be four phases of repairs. This initial phase aims to resolve the prob“Construction activity will cease all work lem of water entering the tower, especially through its small windows and leaky during the week of graduation and then mortar joints. This water intrusion, if not resume for completion by June 1, 2011,” Snead said. addressed, could lead to The current budget for greater structural probrepairs of $13,000 will lems. allow the most pressing “This is the first phase needs in the most sensiof the Bell Tower repairs, tive areas of the building which involves sealing to be taken care of first. the building envelope, Andy Snead, director of Design However, according to an industry term that esand Construction Services Snead, all of the mainsentially means keeping tenance and repair work water and humidity on needed could cost upwards of $1 million. the outside of the building,” Snead said. While Snead said the timing of the re- That includes repairs to the courtyard pairs isn’t great since graduation is ap- area, installation of windows at the top of proaching, the Bell Tower will be available the Bell Tower, a complete resealing of all masonry joints and cosmetic work on the for photos during graduation.
“Our goal will be for the repairs to be unnoticeable.”
Solution: Dismantle and store the marble ceiling, wall and floor panels. Construct a waterproof enclosure to encapsulate the room. Reset the marble. Install a small air handling unit at the second floor slab to provide air circulation within the shrine room. *This problem will be resolved as funding is identified.* Problem: Granite cobblestone pavers just outside the tower are subsiding and uneven and the concrete pavement at the courtyard is badly cracked and also has subsided. Solution: Remove the granite cobblestones, re-compact the subgrade, install a subgrade drainage mat, and reinstall the cobblestones. Demolish concrete pavement, re-compact the subgrade, and cast and install new concrete panels. Source: N.C. State facilities
shrine room. The phased approach will ensure the most critical items are taken care of first, says Snead. “The scope of this phase is to stop water intrusion through the wall into the lower part of the tower and shrine room where the damage is most pronounced,” Snead said. “The age of the mortar joints requires that they be tuck pointed to restore the integrity of the joint.” Tuckpointing is a form of joint repair, according to Snead. The old or failing mortar is removed and replaced with new mortar. sarah tudor/Technician When the mortar in the joints fail, moisture can seep through the joint and ulti- Workers continue to work on the Bell Tower to help prevent water damage. Water damage could cause other long-term tower continued page 3 damage to the Bell Tower; work is expected to be completed by May 20, 2011.
Safe disposal of prescriptions State provides drop-off for unused or expired medications to help water supply and community health.
off provides an environmentally safe method of disposing unused medications.” According to Stephanie Pomeroy, Student Health Services pharmacy technician, one common misconception regarding medications is they can Anja Davis be disposed of like garbage. Staff Writer “Medication should never be flushed Student Health Services and Cam- down the toilet or put in the trash,” pus Police are joining forces with the Pomeroy said. According to Pomeroy, one reason Drug Enforcement Agency’s National Take Back Initiative to encourage why f lushing medications is unacceptable is because it people to remove contaminates drinkexpired and unused ing water. medications from “Trace amounts t heir homes —no of drug residue are questions asked. showing up in city Lisa Holzworth, water systems across medical laboratory the U.S.,” said Holztechnician with Stuworth, who said she dent Health Services, became interested said this initiative is after reading about the result of the ort he topic w h i le ganization’s desire Stephanie Pomeroy, Student serving on Student to take part in Earth Health Services pharmacy Hea lt h Ser v ice’s technician Day celebrations. Sustainability Com“Student Health mittee. Services was looking But according to Rebecca Sasser, a for some way to participate with Earth Day and we found information on the Student Health Services pharmacist, National Take Back Initiative,” Hol- the potential for contamination goes zworth said. “The medication drop far beyond the city limits.
“Medication should never be flushed down the toilet or put in the trash.”
“Research suggests that certain drugs may cause ecological harm,” Sasser said. “Effects on aquatic life are a major concern as well.” While Sasser also said there are no known human health effects from the levels of pharmaceuticals found in our water supplies, the levels of substances are increasing and as a result of this, more research is being done on the matter. According to Pomeroy, medications do not have to be diluted in water supplies to be of danger to the public. “Removing expired or unused medications from the home may help to prevent accidental child poisoning,” Pomeroy said. “It may also help to remove the temptation for people to experiment with prescription drugs.” “Last year’s National Take Back Initiative collected 121 tons of medication across the U.S.,” Holzworth said. “This past spring, Cary Police collected 200 pounds with a medication drop off.” Pomeroy, who has been working with the Student Health Services Sustainability Committee and
rx continued page 3
New face to mayoral race Mayor Charles Meeker giving up the reins as he declines to run for a sixth term. Lana Layton Staff Writer
Since elected as Mayor of Raleigh in 2001, Charles Meeker has done much to attempt to increase the quality of life in the state capitol. But when Meeker’s fifth term comes to a close, someone else will fill his seat as Mayor of the “City of Oaks.” According to Chancellor Randy Woodson, Meeker fostered a positive
relationship with the N.C. State community. “I think Mayor Meeker has been a great partner with N.C. State,” Woodson said. “The relationship between the University and Raleigh couldn’t be stronger and that’s because of the mayor. He was hugely instrumental in Hillsborough Street and getting that project to completion. A lot of us associated with the University are disappointed he won’t continue [to be] mayor, but we certainly appreciate what he’s done during his 10 years in office.” Woodson continued to highlight Meeker’s dedication to serving Raleigh
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and the N.C. State community well, specifically mentioning one of the Wolfpack’s favorite fundraising events. “The Krispy Kreme Challenge is a great example where the city has been a willing partner with us as we have grown that race in the last six or seven years to be as large as it is and that required a lot of cooperation with the city,” Woodson said. “There are just so many things that the mayor has been instrumental in that has involved NC State.” So far, one candidate has stepped
mayor continued page 3
alex nitt/Technician
Jana Angel, senior in international studies, models for Allison Cross’ collection, “The Art of Being Lovely,” during the Threads Senior Collection Spring 2011 Fashion Show on Thursday, Apr 28, 2011. Cross’ collection was inspired by retro prints from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and Audrey Hepburn.
insidetechnician
Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh reopens After two years of renovations and reorganization, the Contemporary Art Museum of Raleigh will open its doors tonight. See page 5.
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