By Lauren Eller

Since the beginning of the semester, Leonard Residence Hall has undergone continuous construction.

Zachary Cooper ’00, special projects manager for the College, reported that the floods that severely damaged Leonard and surrounding pipes were a repeated problem. “We had several floods over the course of the summer,” Cooper said. “We had one that happened in August and as we were moving the kids out it rained hard and literally we were standing there as it started to flood. I would say [the construction began on] the 20th, 25th [of August], maybe.”

Lisa Train, associate director for Housing and Residential Life, has been closely involved with the Leonard construction. “It was just a trifecta issue,” she said. “Some of the pipes were clogged, we had a really bad rain, … and then when the power went out the sump pumps filled and that was like the backup system.”

A sump pump is used to remove water that has accumulated in a sump basin, typically located in the basements of homes.

“The goal from inception has been, ‘get it done before the semester’s over’’,” Steve Arnett, interim director of facility operations, said.

As for the seemingly lengthy duration of the project, Cooper said that the College was being as thorough as possible so that the flooding does not happen again. “That’s why it’s taken so long,” he said. “We want to make sure we’re doing the right thing as far as knowing what was damaged and the extent of it.”

Claire Hilldebrandt ’17 lives on the southern end of Leonard. “I think generally they start at seven in the morning and it ends at four, so it’s been a little loud at times with the windows, but I can’t imagine that they’re not close to finished by now,” she said.

According to Cooper, they are aiming to finish construction by the end of the month.