F-Building, on Algonquin’s Woodroffe campus, is in such poor shape that it is no longer safe for occupancy, according to a Physical Resources manager.
The building, located beside residence, is currently being used for storage.
It used to be occupied by the air conditioning and mechanical programs, but they were moved to the ACCE building three years ago.
Since then, the structure has fallen into disuse and has sat idle, despite the fact that an online search reveals that the building is listed as a part of the School of Advanced Technology.
“There’s lots of potential risk for leakage because of the air conditioning students,” said Lorenzo Bruno, the manager of facilities planning and development team for Physical Resources.
F-building was built in the late 1960s, making it one of the oldest buildings on campus. But it has seen better days.
Bruno said the college is only using the building for storage until it can eventually be torn down.
“The cost to repair it is enormous,” he said. The cost to repair the building would far exceed the cost to tear it down, Bruno said.
But there are no immediate plans to tear it down as the college does not have many storage options. The building currently stores things like the boards for the new rink, old furniture and the lights for the dome. “Nothing of great value,” said Bruno.
The building does not meet current seismic recommendations, Bruno said, meaning a strong earthquake could negatively affect the building’s structural integrity.
In fact, the building is in such poor condition that if there is more than eight inches of snow on the roof, maintenance workers must go up and shovel it off.
“It’s okay for storage, but not for anything else,” Bruno said.