UND will likely begin demolishing a set of campus buildings Wednesday, said a university facilities leader.
Brian Larson, a UND project manager, said the Strinden Center at 3100 University Ave. and the former Center for Community Engagement at 317 Cambridge should be knocked down by midweek. Larson previously said the demolition of the Strinden Center could happen Monday morning, but crews from contractor Berger Enterprises are still disconnecting utilities and salvaging materials from the two buildings.
The current plan for the demolitions is to raze seven structures by Aug. 11, with tear-downs grouped mostly in pairs. Larson said the restoration of the building sites should be finished by the time students are back on campus for the fall semester.
In total, UND is planning to demolish eight buildings by the end of summer 2018. Those buildings, including the two scheduled for removal this week, are 2912 University; the former Conflict Resolution Center at 314 Cambridge; Chandler Hall; the former Era Bell Thompson Multicultural Center; the former International Center; and the former UND Women’s Center building at 305 Hamline St.
All of those structures will be torn down before fall except for Chandler, which will be demolished next summer. The campus’ former steam plant, which is part of Chandler, is the oldest building on campus.
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The eight buildings are part of a larger group of campus buildings being taken offline as part of a university effort to reduce the footprint of campus facilities. The buildings identified for phase-out or tear-down were selected because of their high deferred-maintenance and operations costs, facilities leaders have said.
