Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Universit 4 Gets Impi BY KAREN PETIT Of The Gamecock staff Better communication between University Terrace (UT) residents and University officials has resulted in appropriations of about $116,900 for renovation of the UT area, Robert A. Stewart, director of Housing Services, said. However, residents 'say some problems still exist in the apart ments. "I think there was a good result from the furor that was raised last year," Stewart said. "We are able to communicate better with the students and I think the whole situation has been improved." Slow steps toward improvement of the UT area began last summer when a study of UT revealed that lead-based paint was flaking off and being eaten by children. By December nothing had been done to correct the problem since estimates revealed that wall paneling was too expensive. Today, a year later, Housing is still undecided about the issue. "We do not know what the problem is," Stewart said, "Probably it is being caused by moisture." "Although the University has not used lead based paint in several years," Stewart added, "it was on the walls from previous times." "We have studied the problem and we intend to do something about it. Although the risks are not serious, it is a condition that we feel is not desirable." In deciding just what is to be done, Housing officials have studied several suggestions. The first idea was to scrape the old paint off and to repaint the walls. But because of the time involved in such a project, this was found unsatisfactory. Sandblasting the walls and then repainting seemed to be another solution. Yet because such action would force residents to move to other apartments, the suggestion was also found un suitable. The im?iediate answer seems to be in vinyl wall covering. On an experimental basis, vinyl wall paper is being placed in some apartments. If this proves satisfactory, Housing will probably cover the walls in all apartments. "Even if this comes loose in some areas, it will not be harm ful," Stewart said. "We are trying to find something that will not be prohibitively expensive. These places are self supporting and it Urt? 6amtath The GAMECOCK is the student newspaper of the University of South Carolina and is published twice weekly, en Mondays and Thursdays, during the fail and sring semester and once a week during the summer by the USC Board of Publications and Corn. munications. The University of South Carolina is an egual Opportunity Institution. Change of address forms, subscription requests and other correspondence should be sent to The GAMECOCK, Drawer A, USC, Columbia 29200. Sub scriptien rates are 53 per semester and 52 for the summer sessions. Second class postage paid at Columbia, S.C. y Terrace ovements would affect the rent." The estimate for covering the peeling paint is $39,000. All renovation funding comes from Housing with some work being done by USC maintenance ciews and other work through private contractors. Other improvements being made by Housing and some costs in clude: 1. garbage dumpsters - Dump sters have been repaired and repainted. The garbage crews regularly clean them now. 2. railings around UT - Area railings have been painted anid all needed repairs are being made. Some railings which need to be fixed are being replaced. 3. conditions of the grounds - Grass in some areas had worn away and some erosion had oc curred. Grass sod and shrubs have, been placed at UT to improve the general landscaping. Shrubbery that had become overgrown on the large bank at UT has been cut down and a lot growing juniper is being considered for this area. One of the problems with the high grass concerned the amount of debris that had been thrown out. Rats, mice, and stray cats were beginning to inhabit the area and parents were concerned for the safety of their children. 4. the playground area - A new retaining wall has been placed around the playground. Since the grass had worn away, University crews smoothed the ground and then put sand in the area. Grass wears off easily underneath the swings, Stewart said, so sand makes a better surface for this reason. The safety of the monkey bars was studied also but Stewart said the residents decided to keep them. In addition to the play equipment, a climber will be added. Another concern of parents was that people could drive up to the playground gate in their cars adding a safety risk to the area. Posts have been placed as barriers around the gate to prevent this. Approximately $1,000 was allotted for playground im provement. 5. laundry facilities - Laundry facilities have been scheduled for renovation beginning July 7, and will take about two weeks. Ad ditional new equipment, painting, and general repairs are expected to cost about $9,000. 6. steampipes - One of the Co lumb I) -7.. -'The play problems at UT concerns the steampipes which run through many of the apartments and give off extreme heat. Housing has contracted for insulation of the pipes at a cost of $7,300. Work began Monday to correct the problem. 7. electrical wiring - Wiring in lower UT has been s nroblem for both residents and housing of ficials. Installation of new exterior wiring has been completed and work will begin on interior wiring as soon as maintenance can schedule the work. Internal wiring will cost $10,000 while other wiring services are being contracted for $50,000. - In addition to these i.m provements, clothes lines have been relocated so that residents will have more parking spaces. Door peepers to provide greater safety have been installed in upper and lower UT. UT apartments for married students are not the only places experiencing changes, Stewart said. At Cliff apartments, com plaints concerning mail service have led to a change in the postal system. The campus post office has provided residents with mailboxes which have been placed in the lobby. At Woodland Terrace apart ments a bus stop shelter costing $600 was built at the request of the student residents. There have also been some complaints about peeling paint. Work crews have begun work painting the apart ments one at a time. General budget cuts at USC really haven't hurt Housing, Stewart said, since Housing Ser vices receives no tax money. The budget is determined in December and rates for the next year are then 952 Harden St. * Colh ri's only comph fit4 PP1 for area is okay for prese decided. "We want to do all we can without making rent too high," Stewart said. For the 182 families at UT, prices range from $80 to $40 a month depending on apartment size. Utilities are included in this cost. Stewart said he really didn't know why complaints surfaced all of a sudden last year. Yet he feels that the incident was good for both housing and residents. "One of my goals for next year is to set up better communications with student residents," Stewart added. "I would like to see them form some sort of association. We have a hard time identifying what the group feelings are." Richard A. Rempel, chairman of the facilities and grounds advisory committee last year, said he felt the University did try and take sufficient steps to relieve some very real frustrations and grievances. Meeting with many of the housing administrators paved the way to getting the im provements, he added. Cooperative ventures between students and the University could help to relieve the situation, Rempel said. Stewart pointed out that all the problems expressed last year are on their way to being resolved. UT residents have mixed feelings about the improvements. Joyce Wallace, a UT resident watching the children play in the playground area said, "A lot is being done but there is still a lot to do. I'm not satisfied with the playground. Last week they came and dumped all this sand in the area. The conditions are 'not sanitary." Other UT residents had varying views on the playground issue. !AtKEK ualltg gear imbia, S. C. 29205 l1e wildierness ~7 N. 41-h l , Johnny Drummings "The play area is okay for pre schoolers. There is nothing at all for the older children," Sarah Campbell said. Maintenance repairs caused concern for many tenants at UT. "For minor repairs, they seem to come quickly," Campbell said. "For larger projects it takes an act of Congress." 'Karl Smith shared similar. feelings. "Service here is fine. If you know who is doing the work, you get service. If you don't know them, you cannot get service." Window screens have been or dered for his apartment for over a year now. The problem has been reported a couple of times, but nothing has been done yet. Peggy Horton, a UT tenant since 1970 who worked in Resident's Life last year, said the playground needs to be kept up and general maintenance needs to be done. "I have seen more accomplished in the last nine months than at any other time I've been here," she said. "The main thing is that we have opened up communications and they do know we exist." Horton said the long hours last semester that were spent in meetings with Stewart, Rempel, Harold Brunton, Douglas Fit zgerald, and many other University members helped the situation. A student association has just been formed to help in communication between student residents and University officials. "We are still concerned about paint chipping in lower UT," Perl said. "We called this week and said the paint was peeling in our apartment. The University said it Please Turn to Page i1 u1f iler