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Flooding damage at SRU assessed

SLIPPERY ROCK — Flooding over the Fourth of July weekend at Slippery Rock University’s Smith Student Center caused an estimated $130,000 in damages, the university said Wednesday.

A broken water line in the building’s mechanical room spilled more than two feet of water into some areas of the building’s first floor. The student center houses the student bookstore, a ballroom, a multipurpose theater, conference rooms, lounges and restaurants, and is home to student clubs and organizations.

The flooding, which closed the building for five days, destroyed computer systems and other items in the university’s department of conference services, which has its offices in the center, as well as carpeting and drywall.

University officials said that carpeting and drywall were replaced, and offices and hallways were repainted to prepare the building for the fall semester.

However, the extent of other damage to the building is unknown.

“We’re still assessing equipment damage in the mechanical room to things such as pumps, motors and electronic panels that were exposed to moisture from the flood,” said Scott Albert, assistant vice president for facilities and planning, in the release.

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