Although sections of the roof at McMurry Hall have been repaired, other parts still leak, causing water damage to certain areas of the building.

“The roof is leaking in some parts, but not in the area we replaced. When the roof leaks in one area, water travels to other areas,” said Conrad Miller, project manager for the physical plant said.

“We didn’t replace all of the roof. We replaced some last year, but other parts need replacing,” said Edward O’Donnell, superintendent of building maintenance.

Water damage has resulted in fallen plaster, rotting wooden boards underneath the roof and water-stains in the ceiling areas of McMurry. The damage will cost an estimated $6,000 to repair, O’Donnell said.

During the summer of 1987, the sloped area of McMurry was re-roofed but the flat portion was not replaced, Miller said.

Freeport Roofing, Freeport, Ill., installed concrete roofing that cost NIU $55,000 to cover 10,100 square feet, Miller said. This type of roofing material was selected due to its longer life expectancy than other materials, he said.

“Assuming we get at least 50 years of use out of the roof, we will be saving about $1,900 per year,” said Miller. In contrast, a less-expensive asphalt roof would cost about $30,000 and would have a life expectancy of 10 years, he said.

“This (installing concrete roofing) should have been done with Williston Hall. We went with tile and now are looking for money to repair it,” Miller said.

The cost of replacing the 1,250 square feet of the roof is estimated at $8,500, Miller said. Concrete tiles are too heavy for flat roofs to support, so the section of the roof will probably be replaced with a lighter material, he said.

“It’s not typical or desirable to put concrete tile on a flat roof,” said Miller.

He cited problems with the tile’s weight on flat roofs as well as the inability of the tiles to provide adequate drainage.

“The university is aging. Most of the buildings went up in the late 1960s and early 1970s, during an expansion time for NIU when a lot of flat roofs were built. A flat roof is not the best thing because rain water doesn’t dissipate and creates pockets of water,” Miller said.

James Harder, vice president for business and operations, said specific funding for the repairs have not yet been designated. But he said he expects appropriations for the project to be available from NIU’s permanent improvement funds and hopes the repairs can be made during this summer.