As UF continues to expand, the older parts of campus have to keep up with the times.
Rolfs Hall, completed in 1927, is part of UF’s historic district. The hall’s stair tower, located behind Turlington Hall, is currently being repaired.
The stair tower, unlike the rest of the building, was built in the late 1970s.
Joe Garcia, project manager of the Architecture and Engineering Department of the Physical Plant Division, said only the exterior bricks of the tower are being replaced. All the existing bricks will be removed and replaced.
“People can use the stair tower,” he said. “What we’re repairing has no effect on the structural integrity of the stair tower.”
Garcia said the repair job is expected to cost $140,000. The repairs could take up to six weeks.
Harold Barrand, associate director of the Architecture and Engineering Department of the Physical Plant Division, said the tower had become a safety issue because of the area.
“We didn’t want bricks falling on people,” Barrand said. “As far as we know, we haven’t had any bricks fall off the historic building.”
Barrand added that this fiscal year the university did not receive Public Education Capital Outlay funds, which are used for repair and maintenance of campus buildings.
Garcia said every building, no matter the age, needs some type of work.
“Emergencies are emergencies,” he said.
The potential danger from the possibility of falling bricks caused the department to use an available maintenance fund.
University historian Carl Van Ness said the building had previously housed the state plant board and the Agricultural Extension Service.
“It had county agents that were there to provide advice to farmers,” he said. “The state plant board was in charge if there was a problem with insect invasion.”
The building, Van Ness said, was designed with a collegiate gothic style common to American universities. The horticulture building was designed by university architect William Edwards.
Van Ness said it is important to preserve the historic buildings on campus, even though it is expensive.
Rolfs Hall, originally built in 1927, is undergoing a six-week renovation. All the existing bricks on the outside of the stair tower will be removed and replaced.
