By: Alissa Caruso
Many students might be wondering what the construction in front of the Commons may be. It is hard to ignore the huge pipes sitting on the lawn, especially since a lot of our normal routes around campus have been interrupted. We can no longer walk through the NSU to get to the Commons because a new steam line is being put in the ground. A steam line is a pipe system used to conduct steam to head up buildings. In an interview with Rolan Gilpatrick, the mechanical maintenance supervisor for Graceland, he stated that the old steam line was installed in the mid-90s and has since worn down. Some students may remember how the Great Room was turned into a sauna last year. That event is directly connected with the leak from this steam line and is part of the reasoning for the replacement. It was leaking hot return water and that caused the great room to fog up. These problems persisted, as the steam line runs directly under the NSU, and a replacement was called for. This is a very important upgrade because this new piping will heat all the dorms. The big question is: How much longer will the construction take? The answer is not simple. According to Gilpatrick, the new steam line could be done in a week or more, but before winter. The crew working hard on the construction must work in tight confinement and deal with the outside elements. These factors do not make for fast work and it is crucial to stay patient. Soon we will be able to resume our regular routes around campus, and we will have a new steam line!