Story by Lory Student Center staff
The Lory Student Center will undergo major electrical upgrades over Winter Break. The replacement of the building’s main transformer and aging electrical system will require power outages that will impact access to a variety of services. Visitors should check online at lsc.colostate.edu/closure-info to confirm details.
“There’s really not a good time to schedule a power outage of this magnitude for the Lory Student Center,” Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and LSC Executive Director Mike Ellis said. “Given the age of the building and the fact that replacement parts are becoming obsolete, we determined that a planned outage to replace the primary transformer and associated switches could best be accomplished through a planned shutdown, which helps avoid the risk of critical failure at an unknown future date.”
Limited access on north side
The North End/Transit Center and CSU Bookstore will remain open during most of the upgrades, which were originally planned as part of recent North End renovation work at the LSC.
North entrance doors near the Transit Center and east doors on Level 200 (across from the Engineering Building) will provide access to the Bookstore, bathrooms and lounges on levels 100 and 200. Elevator service is available from the North Entrance lobby. The south and Plaza entrances will be closed to the public beginning Sunday, Dec. 17. The entire building will be closed Sunday, Dec. 24 through Sunday, Jan. 7.
CSU Bookstore staff will be on site to help with textbook pickup and holiday shopping. Most LSC offices will be operating remotely on weekdays over Winter Break, excluding University holidays.
“It’s great news that even though parts of the LSC will be closed the week before the holiday break, the Bookstore will be fully operational through Saturday, Dec. 23, allowing customers to purchase last-minute holiday items, school supplies and course materials,” CSU Bookstore Director John Parry said. “We will reopen to the public on Monday, Jan. 8. Online orders may be placed and will be filled Jan. 2 through 5.”
Construction barriers will direct movement within the building, which will be limited because of safety concerns that include insufficient lighting, heating and the suspension of fire suppression systems.
Other offices and services in the south part of building will experience the greatest impact due to the upgrades.
Food Court closed through Jan. 15
The Food Court and other LSC food and beverage venues will be closed from Sunday, Dec. 17, through Monday, Jan. 15. Lake Street Market, at the corner of Lake Street and Center Avenue on the south side of campus, will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays when the university is open. Lake Street offers convenience items, snacks, fresh groceries and basic school supplies.
RamCard Office relocating to Durrell Center
The RamCard Office will temporarily relocate during the outage. The office will set up a streamlined operation at the Durrell Center, 950 W. Plum St., and provide all standard services to campus from Durrell Meeting Room 2. RamCard Office service hours (when the university is open) will remain the same during this time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. RamCard operations will resume regular operations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in LSC 271 on Friday, Jan. 12.
RAMtech to relocate to Glover Building
RAMtech will set up temporary operations in the Glover Building, 451 Isotope Drive, just east of the Lory Student Center. RAMtech will be open in Glover E100 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (when the university is open). RAMtech will resume regular operations from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in LSC 244 on Friday, Jan. 12.
The LSC aims to welcome the public back to the entire building Friday, Jan. 12, to help students and staff prepare for the new semester. Building hours Jan. 12 and 13 will be 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the LSC will open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 14. Although Monday, Jan. 15, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a University holiday, the building will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular building hours return on Tuesday, Jan. 16.
“We’re truly grateful for the work of our contractor, Haselden Construction, along with our electrical subcontractor, Weifield Group, in minimizing the impact to the extent they have,” Ellis said. “This could have been far more challenging than it has been.”
