UH Mānoa's Gartley Hall being closed due to major structural damage

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
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Posted: Sep 29, 2009

Gartley Hall on the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa campus is being closed after recent structural survey work found the 88-year-old building had major structural damage which raised significant questions about the safety of the building; therefore, the building is being cleared and closed until further investigation and tests can be performed over the next two weeks.   

 

During the course of recent preliminary structural survey work for the renovation of Gartley, inspectors discovered that one or more of the building columns on the edifice’s west side had failed due to the deterioration of column reinforcing steel bars (rebar), and that others may be compromised.  Health and safety issues always have to be the highest priority, so UH Mānoa is taking these steps to provide a better assessment of the overall condition of the building’s structural status and possible future courses of action.

 

“Repairs and maintenance has continued as a high priority for the UH Mānoa campus, and the situation with Gartley Hall is an unfortunate reminder how critical funding is needed to maintain our buildings for the safety of our staff and students,” said Chancellor Virginia Hinshaw.  Efforts were underway to prepare for the renovation of Gartley Hall; however, at this point, the project will have to be evaluated as to whether renovation can solve the current problems.

 

Gartley Hall is located on the mauka end of the campus near University Avenue, across from Sinclair Library. It is home to the Department of Psychology, which has the largest number of majors at UH Mānoa.  About a dozen classes, attended by approximately 70-100 students in each class have been moved out of the building and 135 personnel within Gartley are being relocated.