Building Demolition
Effective: January 21, 2022
Contact: Facilities Planning and Management
Introduction
University buildings require significant resources for operations, maintenance, repairs and utilities. When no longer required, buildings shall be closed and demolished as soon as possible to allow the reallocation of funds to other priorities and to eliminate the attractive nuisance and liabilities of a vacant facility.
Policy Statement
When a building beyond economic repair is vacated by all university occupants, and there is no continuing requirement for the building by any other units, the building shall be submitted for review for closure and demolition.
The university units to which the building space is assigned are responsible for performing, or funding Facilities Planning & Management (FP&M) and Logistics and Support Services to perform, the removal or disposal of all equipment and furnishings, cleaning and securing the building, and continuing operation, maintenance and utilities costs until the building is demolished. In the case of general fund buildings, this includes the Facilities Expense Charge and utility billings. Cleaning and securing of general fund buildings shall be coordinated with FP&M.
If the building will not be demolished as part of a facility construction project, a Facility Closure and Demolition Request shall be completed and submitted when the decision is made to permanently vacate a building. FP&M staff are available to assist with developing the request. The request shall be submitted to the Capital Projects Advisory Committee for approval by the President. Demolition must also be approved by the Board of Regents for any building with a value of $100,000 or more.
Identifying funding for demolition of the building is the responsibility of the university units to which the building space was assigned, unless otherwise approved by the President. In the case of general fund buildings, the university units to which the building is assigned may:
- Negotiate financing for demolition with the Division of Operations and Finance, with repayment based on their avoided Facilities Expense Charges and utility costs.
- Seek other university funding to augment their funds for demolition.
If funds are not immediately available for demolition, the building may be approved for closure and no further use until the building can be demolished.
Upon approval and funding of the demolition of a building, FP&M will arrange for demolition, normally by contract. The entire building, including the foundation and any basement shall be removed, and the site landscaped as appropriate for the surrounding area. FP&M will then remove the building from the university facility inventory, which in the case of a general fund building will be the basis for the appropriate adjustment to the Facilities Expense Charge in the next fiscal year for the former occupants.