The Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville has been closed due to a “structural issue” found by engineers, according to a news release Monday (June 23).
Engineers working on the upcoming expansion/renovation project found the issue was with the trusses that support Baum Walker Hall and they are continuing to analyze the total scale of the problem, the costs involved and the time it will take to repair the issue, the release states.
“As part of our expansion plans to meet the anticipated future demands of larger touring productions, the steel trusses in Baum Walker Hall were to be strengthened in the summer of 2015. While doing the forensic investigation of the existing trusses and the evaluation of how much additional support would be needed, the architect and engineering firms discovered that the current load on the existing trusses appeared to be excessive,” the release states.
The release continued, “This apparent structural deficiency meant that Baum Walker Hall might not be safe for public occupancy.”
The box office will be temporarily located in Nadine Baum Studios, and the building will remain closed until personnel can shore up existing trusses and repairs can be completed, according to the release.
