Trustees decide that new roof necessary for Littlejohn

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Posted 7:33AM on Friday, April 12, 2002

CLEMSON, S.C. - Clemson trustees decided Thursday to raze the roof at Littlejohn Coliseum. The board Thursday approved contracts to replace the roof at the 36-year-old facility that is home to the men's and women's basketball teams. The project was not planned when renovations began at the coliseum and could add up to $8 million to the cost of construction. The school was planning a $23 million Coliseum renovation to add a practice and training annex, along with improved concessions and restrooms. But an inspection found flaws in the roof's steel girders, leaving university officials little choice. ``We were told that the flaws were increasing logarithmically,'' said Scott Ludlow, the university's chief business offer. ``That was not a risk we could take with people's safety involved.'' Ludlow said board approval meant roof construction could start immediately. But it will take time, logistically, to fortify ground around Littlejohn that would potentially hold the large cranes needed to lift the large girders and slabs, he said. Clemson has agreed to play early season basketball games at Anderson Civic Center. Larry Shyatt, men's basketball coach, said that includes a contest against national power Cincinnati in December. Shyatt said Thursday he was told to expect a first-class training annex ready for his players when school opens. The troubled building was most recently in the news this week when a glue gun was blamed for starting a fire that could be seen for miles Monday. Construction on Littlejohn has been under way for sometime. Most recently, the outside of the building was peeled away like an orange rind so the inside was visible from the road. Trustees agreed to a financial plan, in which the university would issue $8 million in institutional bonds that would be repaid with student fees. The school's budget would absorb the first $4 million for the new roof with the athletic department covering remaining costs up to $4 million. University officials said they were told by contractors the Littlejohn project will be complete by January 2003. Ludlow said one plan had construction finishing in time for spring commencement and Clemson playing all its basketball games off campus. But contractors said the financial overhead from additional months on site would be about the same as paying for overtime and weekend work to finish by Jan. 5 which is Clemson's tentative date for its home game with Duke. ``Obviously, if we can finish up by then for a game that would likely be a sellout, that's in the best interest of the university,'' Ludlow said. The ACC basketball schedule is subject to change before it becomes official this summer. Since the university considers the roof an emergency repair, it will adjust its current construction contract with Beers York of Greenville rather than seek new bids. Officials plan to use an independent cost estimator to make sure it gets competitive pricing. The contract will include incentives to limit costs if the project is not finished on time. Also Thursday, trustees awarded a $3.65 million construction contract for an indoor track facility to Melloul Blamey Construction Ltd. of Greenville. The new field will have a 200-meter track, an area for field events and training facilities.