The Hammermill Center has been home to many memorable beat-the-clock victories in its nearly 65-year history, none of which reached the scale of what happened during 21 days throughout December and January. The victory was won by dozens of highly motivated men and women wearing coveralls, hardhats, fire helmets and the occasional business suit. Theirs is a story of effort beyond expectation—and more than a little luck. It started on the bitterly cold evening of Monday, Dec. 23. An explosion tore through a utility room under the west side stands of the Hammermill Center. While the building was vacant at the time of the incident, a high school basketball game had ended just about an hour earlier. It was the first flash of luck propelling the project.
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gannon magazine
april 2014
Another was the location of the explosion, which Gary Garnic, associate vice president, campus services, likened its construction to that of a “bomb shelter that contained the pressure.” First responders to the scene found a building filled with acrid smoke spreading to adjacent Waldron Campus Center, Beyer Hall and Old Main. The Erie Fire Department worked in the dark to extinguish any burning, while keeping water away from the Hammermill Center’s hardwood floor, which proved to be a decisive factor. Penelec immediately shut down power to the surrounding area. Representatives of the University’s insurance carrier and contractors were quickly on site. By 3:30 a.m. on Christmas Eve, Building Systems, Inc. and Lathrop Electrical had two dozen men ready to pull the stillsmoldering cables.
Another looming problem was addressed first, however. Without power and heat to the five-building complex, water pipes could soon burst in the sub-freezing temperatures. A 175-kilowatt standby generator powered by a 240-horsepower diesel engine restored some heat to the buildings. On Dec. 26, a decision was made to finish the project in time for a crucial game that the women’s basketball team would play on Jan. 15. Goals were set for each 12-hour period; and manpower and equipment were adjusted to accomplish those goals. “It was an aggressive schedule, and there were a lot of skeptical people,” said Linda Wagner, vice president, finance and administration. The extent of damage hadn’t been fully determined, and the ability to get equipment and materials was an open question.