Columbus Convention Center in Danger

WOW, there is this big news in Columbus about the Convention Center in danger of collapse.

According to reports, a water main break at the Columbus Convention Center is causing an evacuation of the area.

The building has been evacuated, and the west side of High Street has been evacuated as well.
NBC 4’s Mike Bowersock reported that the building is showing wear and the water is threatening the building's structure.

Bowersock said that a security guard who didn't wish to go on camera said that the water is causing the floor to buckle in some areas, which is causing a dangerous situation.

A battalion chief said that the building could collapse, Bowersock reported.
The break is under the building but hasn't been found or contained.

If the building did collapse or was rendered unusable that would incalculably damage downtown. It took forever to get it up and there isn’t another facility that would be able to pick up the slack.

I only go there once a year when the auto show is in town but it’s a great facility even if parking is a nightmare.

Latest update on this from the Dispatch

Battalion Chief Doug Smith, of the Columbus Fire Division, said fire officials fear a "major collapse" of the structure, because floors of the center that were under one to two inches of water were rising and columns appeared to be buckling.

When Smith arrived, he said water was running out the doors, the concrete slab floors were buckling and drywall was coming off the walls.

"We had a major concern that there might be a structural collapse, and we still have that concern," he said.

He said the focus of their concern is not the entire building, but the main convention hall in the center of the building -- the orange section of the multi-colored building. The center was evacuated, but officials did not evacuate the adjacent Hyatt Regency.

Early reports suggested that the water main ran under the building, but Smith said it runs under the sidewalk just west of the building. A plate apparently broke off of the pipe and allowed water to run underground into the building. "It could have been going on for hours and hours," and water was flooding the building from the north end south.

Smith estimated that the damage they have seen so far to walls and carpeting and other fixtures will run millions of dollars, not counting the structural damage.

High Street is closed in front of the convention center, and police routed commuters and buses onto nearby streets. Water was still flowing from the convention hall doors at the corner of High and Goodale streets, on the north side of Downtown, at 7:30 a.m.

Water was seeping from under the walls along the outside of the building this morning, and rooms visible from windows along High and Goodale are all flooded

Looks like the Auto Show will end up being at the Mega Mall

Update:

It's being reported now that the damage has been contained and that they are not as concerned about the structure now.

Regardless the convention center is going to be out of service for quite a while throwing a huge monkey wrench into the activities that go on there constantly. This will affect downtown businesses, hotels and restaurants.

Jan 10 update

According to this morning's Columbus Dispatch it appears the damage isn't as bad as authorities originally said.

For a time, Columbus Division of Fire officials feared a section of the building might collapse or need to be condemned, but it's still sound.

Managers said last night that two concourses with the worst damage will be repaired in plenty of time for the Arnold Sports Festival that begins Feb. 28

That sports festival is huge and would be a tremendous loss if it couldn't be held there. Usually a few weeks after that is the Columbus Auto Show which is also a big draw.

William Jennison, executive director of the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, said early estimates place the damage at $200,000. Insurance will cover all costs more than $100,000.

They are claiming no one knew about this water line.

The water shooting upward brought sand and silt with it. Uncarpeted exhibition-hall floors, usually a shiny polished concrete, were covered with a thin layer of fine sand.

Early in the morning -- firefighters were notified of the break at 5:15 a.m. -- the convention center was evacuated. Fire officials feared for the building's structural integrity because of the buckled floors and drywall that had been forced upward around the northernmost section's steel supports.

The supports weren't compromised, however, city and building officials said.

Hopefully that's true. I have to wonder though.

A convention center employee who reported for work shortly before 6 a.m. said she saw water flowing out onto N. High Street, not only from the building's doors but from the bottom of its exterior walls.

I saw pictures of that last night. Quite a sight.

Good news though that it is going to be up and running shortly and not going to collapse like a Buckeye vs the SEC.

Linked by Don Surber of the Charleson Daily Mail. Thanks, and a hearty Buckeye welcome to his readers.