A deep freeze, a hardy thaw

Lewis-Clark State College was able to take a negative and turn into an accommodating new space for its students.

On the weekend of Jan. 13-15, 2024, during a hard freeze that dropped temperatures in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley to below freezing, the fire suppression sprinkler pipes in the Student Union Building burst.

“And all of a sudden, it looked and felt like a rainstorm,” said Andy Hanson, senior vice president and vice president for student affairs.

Fortunately someone was working at the information desk and was able to notify staff to stop the water within minutes of the breakage. By the time Hanson got to the building, the damage was apparent.

“Every square foot had either soaked up water or had some standing water,” he said.

The money to repair the damage came through insurance claims, some of which are still being processed, and other funding came from the SUB budget to purchase new items like furniture. The total cost of the damage came to around $1.275 million.

A remodel for the SUB was already in the works, but the flooding put it at the top of the priority list and allowed for more changes to take place.

“This had been something we were going to do at some point, now we’re in a position to have to do something so if we’re gonna do it, let’s do it in a way we would really like to see it designed,” Hanson said.

After the remodel, the upstairs of the SUB looked more or less the same, with most of the work focusing on flooring, drywall and paint. LCSC was able to continue using some of the upstairs spaces as repairs were being made but other offices had to be moved. Lewis-Clark Warrior Radio, which operates online, moved offices and much of their equipment was damaged by the water, including old vinyl albums.

While the LCSC information desk is currently usable, it still needs to be replaced after experiencing water damage. Other finishing touches that still need to happen include signage, which will help create a consistent look throughout the campus and use the college’s colors.

Most of the remodeling took place in the downstairs of the SUB, which had more severe damage. Some parts of the downstairs cafeteria area remained in use, like the solarium area, but other portions of the dining area were unusable. The kitchen area also had damage but was still functional.

The damage happened before spring semester and students still needed to be able to use some of the space for food services. For about a month, residence hall students were getting their food at the building next to the SUB, the Williams Conference Center, which wasn’t impacted by the flooding. Then Sodexo, the company that provides LCSC’s food service, along with staff and vendors like Pepsi, walled off a portion of the downstairs of the SUB that was more damaged and students used the rest of the space for food service.

During the reconstruction that portion of the building was stripped down to studs and concrete flooring. Hanson said it was like walking into a warehouse. Conversations took place on how to improve the look of the cafeteria so it was more inviting and comfortable.

“We had actually begun to talk about, were there changes that could be made down here that could get people excited and make it more user-friendly,” Hanson said. “So the remodel really began and what it allowed us to do was not only replace the things that were damaged but also to enhance and say ‘what do we want the space to look like?’ ”

Work began to change not only the look of the dining and food area, but also the feel of it as well. Some parts of the downstairs of the SUB are like a traditional dining area with bright lights, and others have more of a restaurant feel with adjustable lighting. Hanson said the different seating and lighting offers different moods and environments.

The flooring also changes from a hardwood to a blue color, which Hanson said represents the two rivers in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. The food serving area has a new layout with the salad bar in the middle in a U-shape. Other food offerings are along the walls as well as beverages. The monitors were replaced because they had been damaged from the water.

There was also new furniture and a new space with a TV with more comfortable seating. Jitterz coffee has its own style of furniture with wooden tables and chairs to make it distinct from other areas. There is also access to the new location of the bookstore near the solarium.There are still final pieces coming into place, mostly with the decor like lighting and artwork.

Some of the changes were new approaches from Sodexo but the design elements were from the college. LCSC received input from students, staff and LCSC President Cynthia Pemberton. The area was under construction over the spring and summer with the space becoming fully functional in October, aside from the finishing touches.

“The reaction we had we opened it back up was ‘wow, what a different space.’ What we observed was more students and more staff and faculty down here using the space and staying longer than they did, Which of course is the whole point of this and delightful to us,” Hanson said. “We couldn’t be happier with this and we couldn’t be happier with the student reaction to it.”

Students like Xander McDowell, 21, and Baeli Kinsley, 22, are enjoying using the new space. McDowell, who is the Associated Students of LCSC President, used the space for Homecoming. Kinsley, who is on the Warrior Entertainment board, used the TV space for a grocery bingo night, and McDowell used it to watched Thursday Night Football at the same time.

“It was really fun how we can double up with that space, having some people watching the game and others using it for the bingo,” McDowell said. “But I love that we have that space now to bring everyone together, especially watching those Seahawks games.”

Kinsley likes having a space for events that lets more students participate and become involved. At the grocery bingo they were able to give away 16 bags of groceries.

“We’re able to do a lot of really fun stuff like that with this area,” Kinsley said.

Both McDowell and Kinsley like the dining area, which they said was more comfortable and had more of a restaurant or coffee shop feel.

“It’s a more enjoyable space to hang out,” McDowell said. “I think it’s more inviting for students to just hang out here during their off time. More so than what it was before just because it has that modern look, modern feel.”

Hanson said there’s an increased pride in the space, which is evident by its increased use.

“I look around and I see students, all the experiences these people are having and I think that’s what this building’s for and that’s so neat to see,” Hanson said.

Although the circumstances surrounding why the remodel took place aren’t what Hanson or LCSC wanted, the staff was able to find innovative solutions to serve students.

“The thing that I think that made us all really proud is that people really rose to the occasion and made it happen,” Hanson said. “I don’t think that students missed out on anything while we were putting this back together.”

Director of communications and marketing Logan Fowler wasn’t surprised at how LCSC staff reacted or how the flooding situation was resolved.

“Our leadership does a great job of taking challenging situations and creating good outcomes of them, they do it all the time,” Fowler said.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.