| Gustavus Case
Study
| The
Project |
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(click photo to enlarge) |
Gustavus Adolphus College
Saint Peter, Minnesota
445,270-square-foot restoration/new
construction
Start date: March 1999
Completion date: August 1999
On March 29, 1998, at about 5:25
p.m., the already graying skies blackened and the air
became still in the city of Saint Peter, Minnesota.
Tornado sirens screamed a warning throughout the community
to seek immediate shelter. At 5:34 p.m., a one and one-half
mile wall of tornadoes hit Saint Peter, Minnesota, and
the surrounding communities. The tornadoes left a path
of destruction unequaled by any storm preceding it.
The strength of the tornadoes ranged from F3 to F4 and
left a 60-mile long path of total devastation. The winds
were so powerful, that debris from Saint Peter was found
in Hudson, WI, approximately 78 miles away. An estimated
90 percent of homes and businesses sustained damage
in the fast-moving storm. Saint Peter, once known for
its ancient and majestic trees was in shreds—debris
strewn everywhere.
Gustavus Adolphus College is located
in Saint Peter, Minnesota. It is a private liberal arts
institution that prides itself not only on fine educational
offerings, but also a beautifully designed campus that
is both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Before
the March tornado, majestic trees gracefully shaded
campus buildings and walkways—both beautiful and
meticulously maintained. The path of the tornadoes on
March 29 uprooted, twisted and tore every building and
nearly every tree on the once beautiful campus. The
2,400 students that attended Gustavus were recessed
for Spring Break. While all 59 campus buildings were
affected by the storm—there were no lives lost.
The total insurable storm damage was approximately $50
million. At least 90 percent of campus trees (a total
of approximately 2000) were lost.
At 6:30 p.m., on the evening of March
29, 1998, approximately one hour after the devastating
tornado swept Saint Peter—Schwickert’s assembled
their crews and equipment and were dispatched to Saint
Peter. While access to the Gustavus campus was prohibited
pending a damage survey, Schwickert’s was able
to provide a temporary roof for a national communications
company, restoring vital communications for Saint Peter
and the surrounding communities.
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