Barton Hall will remain closed indefinitely following a pipe burst leading to major flooding throughout the dormitory. The closure of Barton Hall in Machuga Heights will continue amid the fixture of the pipes, according to an email from university officials.
Andrew Mees, the Assistant Vice President of Strategic Content, stated that Montclair State’s facilities company for The Heights, Capstone, confirmed the pipe burst was a result of aging pipes in the dormitory.
Machuga and Dinallo Heights, which were built in 2011, are owned and managed by Capstone On-Campus Management, also known as the Heights Facilities Team.
This incident occurred on Dec. 21 on the eighth floor of Barton Hall, where a water leak resulted in extensive flooding that affected all the floors below in the building. The water system in the building was shut off as a result, and Barton and Gibson Hall residents were advised the same evening not to turn on the water in the building amid repairs.
Machuga Heights closed down on Dec. 24 for remediation and students’ safety as the university aimed to repair the pipes. Students living in Barton Hall were forced to relocate to a different dorm until the situation was handled.
Barton Hall in Machuga Heights where the pipe burst incident occurred. Jordan Reed | The Montclarion
All of the other residence halls in The Heights complex remain open as Barton Hall continues to be repaired. The university sent out a form for Barton Hall residents to fill out on a first-come-first-serve basis.
Leah Ramrattan, a junior elementary education major and Barton Hall resident, was among the affected students who signed up to be relocated.
“They included a link [asking] your intentions, whether you wanted to commute or dorm, and they said, first-come, first-served,” said Ramrattan. “[Students] get placed in some buildings on campus or Bloomfield [campus]. So, I really didn’t have a choice in where I was put.”
Barton Hall residents were given the option to commute or move to a different dorm due to the repair of the pipes. As well as being reimbursed by the university, students who become commuters will also receive a parking permit and a refund, according to the Jan. 2 email.
As students navigate temporary dorming changes and ongoing uncertainty about their living arrangements for the semester, university officials remain focused on giving students housing placements, support systems and consistent communication.
“Residence Life is working collaboratively with Capstone to ensure that students are placed in alternative housing during this time,” said Mees. “Providing assistance for students with issues or questions and communicating multiple times a week with residents impacted so they are aware of the progress.”
There is no set timeline for when the pipes are expected to be fixed.
There were no other residence halls affected by the flooding. The university will continue to update students on the situation.
