A middle school in Berkeley, California, will have to close for at least two years because of extensive dry rot found in its structural beams.
The Berkeley Scanner reports that dry rot was discovered in the primary structural beams "that support the southern side of the three-story Longfellow Middle School classroom building," which has been undergoing modernization.
"The dry rot was discovered when the stucco was removed from the southern facade to replace windows," the district said. "The supports of this building are crumbling and have created an unsafe condition. The level of potential structural damage on other sides of the building cannot be determined without further demolition to allow for inspections."
For now, the entire Longfellow campus has been closed pending further analysis. The building has been "red-tagged," which means it is "designated as unsafe to occupy until all unsafe conditions have been properly mitigated."
The district plans to relocate Longfellow operations to the Berkeley Adult School campus.
Meanwhile, the Berkeley Adult School will relocate to other district sites for the next two school years.
