Residents of Kostka Hall, Claver Hall, 47 Mahan Rd. and Meditz Hall, collectively known as The Village, received an email on Oct. 19 notifying them that there was a water main break outside of Kostka. In order to repair the damage, the Facilities Department had to dig up an area of the parking lot and periodically shut down the water to The Village.
The water shut-off coinciding with Alumni and Family Weekend, a busy weekend for students and their families. One Meditz resident, Stefania Vendrella ‘20, described the disruption, “It was a real inconvenience, you needed to use a water bottle to brush your teeth.”
Charles Sousa, senior associate director of housing operations, did not learn what the cause of the damage to the water main was. However, the repairs were made swiftly and the damaged section of the pipe was replaced.
“The water was shut-off around 8:30 a.m. and full service was returned around 1 p.m. on Saturday [Oct 20],” Sousa recounted.
Plans to repair the recently flooded Commuter Lounge have also been made. Commuter students received an email on Oct. 16 informing them of possible noise as a result of repairs being made to the roof.
“It is possible that we might experience more leaks in the removal process and it may be noisy in the lounge during this time,” Jodie Fitzpatrick, assistant director of the Office of Residence Life, wrote in the email to students.
Junior Patrick Setiadi, a former commuter student, explained that he was hopeful to see repairs to the lounge.
“As CPA [Commuter Peer Assistant] last year we tried fixing it, but I’m happy that I get to see the positive change even as an RA now at Loyola Hall. I love my commuters and I’m always here for them,” Setiadi elaborated.
David Frassinelli, vice president for Facilities Management, detailed the procedure for repairing the roof. The process entails digging up the grass and dirt that is on the green roof and then going through locating and repairing any sources of leaking. This process will begin “in the next few days,” Frassinelli wrote in an email to The Mirror on Oct. 23.
“Ultimately, the entire roof will be replaced,” Frassinelli added.
One repair that has been delayed is the replacement of the carpet in the commuter lounge.
The carpet is now visibly molding and stained. For years, students have been concerned about the carpet, “…it is getting exponentially worse. The area where the desk was located is most cases flooded and sticky. Not a good look for the community,” Setiadi explained.
Despite her initial estimate that the carpet would be replaced over fall break, Fitzpatrick now estimates, “It [replacement of the carpet] should be completed by the end of the semester.”
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