Why is Higgins Hall is being Taken Down?
In 2008, a Facilities Condition Assessment was completed on all WIU residence halls to gain a better understanding of the maintenance needs and associated costs with renovating each facility. The study found several key building system issues with Higgins Hall that needed attention that included the following:

• Exterior wall and window panels were leaking
• The elevators needed to be replaced to improve reliability and comply with current codes
• A sprinkler system would have to be installed to comply with the 2013 Illinois State Law
• The HVAC system was at the end of its useful life and needed a complete replacement
• Plumbing systems were original, leaked, and were at the end of their useful life

Overall, it was estimated that $48 million was needed to bring Higgins Hall to a “like-new” status. With this information, University Housing and Dining Services (UHDS) completed a master plan, which aimed to reduce departmental deferred maintenance by over half in an aggressive 5-year period. By comparing each residence hall’s total renewal cost, among several other factors, UHDS elected to close Higgins Hall following 46 years of use.

Rationale

• It was calculated that an estimated $1 million in operating costs annually would be avoided
• By foregoing sprinkler installation and elevator modernization, the department was able to save roughly $2 million in upgrades
• Given anticipated occupancy levels, UHDS was able to accommodate in other residence halls across campus
• By taking Higgins Hall offline, the campus deferred maintenance total was reduced by an estimated $44 million

How long will the entire project take?
The implosion itself will take less than 15 seconds. Activities prior to implosion will be approximately 3 hours, with implosion cleanup activities taking approximately 3 hours after the event. The demolition project overall will take from April to October, 2017.

When will the actual implosion occur?
The implosion is scheduled for the morning of July 1.

Does weather have an impact on the implosion?
Traditionally, no. Even if there is a rain event, most implosions still occur. If the winds are too great or if there is severe weather happening, the implosion could be postponed. Spirtas will be the one to decide if the implosion will be postponed or not because of weather. Should the implosion event be postponed, the reschedule date is the Sunday following the scheduled Saturday implosion event. The rescheduled event will be quickly due to the fact that there are explosives in the building.

Who is doing the implosion and demolition?
Spritas Wrecking co from St Louis, MO is the demolition contractor and Controlled Demolition Inc. (CDI) from Phoenix, MD is the implosion contractor

Where can we watch the implosion? Can we get close?
The implosion is not meant to be a spectator event. But we understand that many will want to watch. There will be a dedicated viewing area(s) set up by the University where the public may gather to view the implosion activities, which will be a safe distance from Higgins.

What is the plan for the site following the demolition of Higgins Hall?
The entire area north of the parking lot will be green grass, all the way to the creek. There is currently no intention of any future developments on this site.

What will be left after the implosion has occurred?
There will be a pile of construction rubble and debris and is typically contained within the footprint of the Higgins building. Typically, there is about 30 inches of debris per floor. For a 20 story building that would be approximately a 50 foot tall pile. However, since there is a 25 ft deep basement, half the rubble will be in the basement. There may be a pile of debris visible that is approximately 25-30 feet tall.

Will there be hazardous materials in the debris or in the air during the implosion?
No. The hazardous materials have been abated previously. Spritas will have removed any remaining miscellaneous hazardous materials, such as light bulbs and paint cans when they clean out the building during the preparations for the implosion.

Will explosive be on site the whole time?
No. The demolition contractor will only have explosives on site for a short period of time prior to the actual implosion event. Typically this is 48- 72 hours. Spirtas will have security officers around the explosives continuously while it is on site.

Will traffic be shut down to campus during the demolition?
The contractor will utilize an approved route during the demolition that mitigates disruption to campus. On the day of the implosion, certain roads will be shut down temporarily. Specific plans related to the implosion date will be announced at later time.

Why now? Can’t this wait? Isn’t the state having budgetary issues?
WIU Housing and Dining Services operates with a funding source independent from state funding. Simply put, UHDS annual revenue is comprised of room and board income. Major projects such as this are budgeted for over a long period of time with money set aside from that revenue. WIU is choosing to proceed with this project now for three primary reasons: 1) the bids came in favorable, 2) the liability of a large, vacant building on campus, 3) to continue forward progress on master plans established by the university.

Why isn’t it being turned into parking?
As part of the latest campus master plan, a parking assessment was conducted. It was determined that the University has enough parking to meet the needs of all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. In addition, the added cost to create additional parking is beyond the budget for this project.

Will the community have an opportunity to discuss the demolition with the project team and implosion contractor?
Yes, it is a priority of Western Illinois University and the project team that the community, especially the residents living in close proximity to Higgins Hall, feel comfortable as this project progresses. A special community meeting will be held on Wednesday, April 19th at 5:30 pm in the Macomb City Hall Community Room, so community members can have their questions answered by members of the Project Team.

I live in close proximity to Higgins Hall, will I be able to stay in my home during the implosion?
Spirtas Wrecking Co (the demolition contractor) and CDI (the implosion specialist) will be meeting with WIU and Macomb Police and Fire Departments to determine the area that will need to be cleared around Higgins Hall during the implosion itself. This will include an area that will need to be evacuated for a couple of hours during the implosion itself and a further area where persons outside of structures will not be able to stand for reasons of security. As these limits are established in accordance with applicable regulations, we will contact each homeowner to advise how these steps might impact them individually. All effort will be made to minimize the time neighbors are inconvenienced by this process.

What precautions are taking place in order to ensure that homes and buildings surrounding the site are not damaged during the demolition and implosion of Higgins Hall?
The implosion method for removal of Higgins Hall was selected only after the University had been satisfied that it could be conducted without risk to adjacent homes and properties. Extensive protective measures will be placed inside and on Higgins Hall to ensure there is no fly of debris resulting from the implosion of the structure that could damage adjacent homes and property.

Will the demolition contractor be driving trucks through my neighborhood when they are getting rid of stuff?
No. There is a dedicated truck route established by Spirtas that all trucks will follow during debris or recycling removal. There will be one route that will be from Higgins to the Lamoine Village complex that will be utilized to take gravel for storage in a stockpile for the University.

Can I purchase memorabilia from Higgins Hall?
Yes, we will have several items from the Higgins Hall complex available for sale. All proceeds from sales will go into the University Housing and Dining Services Foundation account to support RA Scholarships, Staff Development opportunities, department initiatives, etc…

Dust from implosion
Dust is an unavoidable byproduct of all types of demolition. The advantage of implosion is that the dust occurs with adequate notice to permit protection of adjacent improvements against such dust. As the implosion approaches, the contractors will be in touch with individual homeowners as respects how the contractors and they can work together to minimize the impact of implosion upon their properties. Following the implosion, the contractor forces will clean up post-implosion dust with the intent of returning the community to its pre-implosion state. Following the implosion, water will be used to help control dust during debris removal operations so as to minimize inconvenience to the community.

Will explosive be on site the whole time?
No. The demolition contractor will only have explosives on site for a short period of time prior to the actual implosion event. Typically this is 48- 72 hours. Spirtas will have security officers around the explosives continuously while it is on site.

If I believe my property was damaged due to the demolition of Higgins Hall, who should I contact?
Homeowners with such concerns should contact Chris Martin (309-298-1834 x263) or Scott Coker (309-298-1834 x277) at WIU Facilities Management who will then in turn contact the contractors involved with the project and will coordinate the appropriate response. Please note that in no way should this statement be construed that WIU nor any other involved party is implying that you should not contact the insurer that provides your homeowner’s insurance.