Colorado State building closed after pipe bursts, causing flooding

May 03, 2024

Colorado State University is still feeling the effects of last week's deep freeze after a frozen pipe burst, shuttering parts of the university's Clark Building on Tuesday.

The building's B and C wings were closed Tuesday and will possibly remain closed this week as crews clean up flooding caused by frozen fan coils that burst following Fort Collins' arctic temperatures last week, according to CSU's Source.

Those wings remained closed Wednesday.

The arctic cold front that slammed into Colorado Dec. 21 and 22 prompted just shy of 1,000 canceled or delayed flights at Denver International Airport and caused temperatures in west Fort Collins to drop 40.8 degrees in 30 minutes that Wednesday. It marked the largest temperature drop recorded in the area since that data started being collected in 1997, according to Russ Schumacher, state climatologist and director of the school's Colorado Climate Center.

The university's facilities management crews discovered the damage in Clark on Saturday evening, according to Source. Other CSU buildings, like the Student Recreation Center, the Biology building, the Lory Student Center and Canvas Stadium, were also affected by frozen pipes but are not closed, according to Source.

Fort Collins forecast:Snow expected in Fort Collins Wednesday through New Year's Eve weekend

The affected parts of the Clark Building are home to offices and classrooms for several College of Liberal Arts departments, including anthropology, ethnic studies, economics, history, journalism, political science and sociology, according to the college's website.

Anyone needing access to the building's affected areas should consult their dean or division head to make those arrangements, per the university. All mail service to Clark has been suspended until the building reopens. In the meantime, mail can be collected at CSU's Central Receiving building, 200 W. Lake St.

Clark Building, which was constructed in 1968, is known as one of CSU's most heavily used academic buildings, with an estimated 99% of its students taking at least one class there during their academic career, according to the university.

After years of ribbing over the building's increasing age, CSU announced this spring that Clark would receive a sweeping renovation and expansion to address its "aging infrastructure" and create spaces that "foster interdisciplinary collaborations and community." The three-phase state-approved project is estimated to cost $120 million to $130 million.

For subscribers:Q&A: CSU interim president Rick Miranda addresses university's next steps, future

Coloradoan reporter Miles Blumhardt contributed to this report.