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Nagatani Academic Center takes a hit from storm

Brian McInnis
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BRIAN MCINNIS / BMCINNIS@STARADVERTISER.COM

Work is underway to repair water damage to the Nagatani Academic Center at the UH Lower Campus.

Hurricane Lane’s impact on the University of Hawaii was not limited to canceled women’s volleyball and soccer games over the weekend.

Lane gave UH a parting shot on Tuesday in the form of a severe rainstorm that caused flooding and water damage to the ceiling and flooring of the Nagatani Academic Center and women’s locker rooms adjacent to the Stan Sheriff Center.

Water came through from the upstairs Gym II practice facility, which is undergoing renovations.

Contractor Layton Construction, which is doing the Gym II renovations, has begun repair work on the Nagatani Center at no cost to UH, athletic director David Matlin said Wednesday.

“The UH Manoa campus experienced a torrential downpour Tuesday morning while roof repairs were underway at the Stan Sheriff Gym II,” Matlin said. “The intense storm overcame temporary waterproofing measures, allowing rainwater to enter Gym 2 and the building’s first floor, partially flooding the Nagatani Academic Center and some women’s locker rooms.

“The contractor responded immediately, dedicating teams and resources to restoring the damaged facilities to full functionality as soon as practicable.”

The Nagatani Center, which is used to improve student-athlete academics, and adjacent women’s locker rooms were renovated in 2013 at a cost of $4.5 million.

Staff and services have been relocated, said Matlin, adding he’s been impressed with the responsiveness of the contractor and campus facility members.

“People are pulling together, working together,” Matlin said. “We escaped Lane, but unfortunately, this happened. When tough things happen, you learn a lot about people. They’ve done a terrific job of being communicative and really trying to make this right.”

Matlin and other staffers arrived Tuesday morning as the flooding was underway. They were able to extract “most of them, maybe all of them,” of the Nagatani Center’s computers.

Matlin said he still expects Gym II to be ready for use prior to Big West conference play for men’s and women’s basketball.

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