By Kristan Brooks
BYU is discussing the possibility of closing the Brimhall Building because of health risks.
Construction on the west side of the first floor of the Brimhall Building started spring term 2003. The building has been open for classes during construction.
Ed Adams, associate dean of the Communications Department, said no decisions have been made but there is a scheduled meeting to discuss the issue Friday, Oct. 10.
The dust and noise have been so bad that students and faculty are getting sick and classes have been moved.
Students entering the Brimhall Building greet ripped up carpet, dust floating in the air and constant construction noise, but students continue attending class in the building.
Signs on all the doors read: “The dust from the construction is spreading throughout the building. Please keep your doors closed for the protection of your items in your room” and “Classes have been cancelled due to construction. More information forthcoming.”
Adam Johnson, a sophomore from Mexico, NY, majoring in visual arts, said his classes have been moved to the Harris Fine Arts Center and the Spencer W. Kimball Building.
“Other people in my classes have been having respiratory problems,” Johnson said. “It is frustrating, but if we could have clean air that would be good.”
Johnson said his visual arts professor, Howard Fullmore, came down with pneumonia and was coughing up blood due to the conditions in the building.
Brandon Kowallis, a senior from American Fork, majoring in photography, said the building smelled like something was burning when he entered it on Thursday.
Another visual arts student, Alyssa Summers, a sophomore from Salt Lake City, was walking around the building Thursday night trying to find where her class had been moved too.
Val Brinkerhoff, a photography and visual arts professor, has had three students go on antibiotics because the air has caused lung problems.
“I”ve moved one class three times,” Brinkerhoff said. “To get it to a quieter place, less dust, less problems. And I”m probably going to move again. I don”t see this getting any better. It”s noisy and dusty and it is a health problem, so we probably really need to move for [the students] sake. It is uncomfortable for everyone.”
The Brimhall Building was constructed in 1919. Two additional floors were added in 1935.
The Brimhall now houses the Visual Arts Department, which includes interior, graphic and industrial design as well as illustration and photography.
