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Small Projects Showcase: Love Library North Screenwall Removal

Location: City Campus, UNL | Lincoln, NE

  • Aerial photo of UNL's Love Library

    Love Library North, the Love Library Link, and a back view of Love Library South.

  • Crane outside of Love Library

    A 600-ton crane was used to remove the deteriorating decorative structures that adorned the roofline of Love North.

  • Cranes removing screenwall from UNL's Love Library

    A photo of the massive crown of precast concrete panels and metal screens after removal.

  • Love Library North Elevation

    Love Library North's north elevation after screenwall removal.

  • Love Library West Elevation

    Love Library North's northwest elevation after screenwall removal.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Situated on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s City Campus, Love Library is divided into North and South buildings. Love Library North, constructed in 1972, has a flat roof, with a crown of decorative precast panels and screens intended to mirror the iconic roofline of Love South.

The precast panels had started to deteriorate, creating damage to the columns below, and had periodically caused pieces of concrete to fall to the surface below prior to precautionary repairs in fall of 2020. The Small Projects team was called in to remove the deteriorating decorative structures—massive precast concrete panels and metal screens—that adorned the roofline of Love North.

“People familiar with campus may notice these aesthetic structures are missing. But, people coming in new will think that’s the way Love North has always looked.”

— Barry Christensen, Small Projects Director—Facilities, Planning & Capital Programs

This was a proactive project to remove the precast panels before they created further building deterioration or became a real danger to campus. When complete, the new roofline will blend in with that of the Link.

$954K
600
2

A 600-ton crane was used to remove the 24 precast concrete panels—which weigh up to 26,000 pounds each—and metal screen. Crews worked six days a week from sun-up to sundown and trucks were used to haul the detritus off site. Fencing surrounded the perimeter and blocked all entrances to Love North and the Link. When possible, materials (particularly the metal) were recycled.

“This was a very active site,” Christensen said. “Our goal was to complete the work as efficiently as possible, minimizing the impact on our campus community and protecting Love North so it could continue to serve students, faculty and the public.”

 

RELATED NEWS

May 6, 2021 | UNL Announce
"Love Library North Roof Repairs Begin"

April 28, 2021 | Nebraska Today
“Summer project to close sections of Love Library, impact campus traffic”

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