SOTC officials ponder replacing or removing building damaged in storms

Officials at the Southern Oklahoma Technology Center were wondering whether repair or demolition would be best after winds from Wednesday’s thunderstorms severely damaged the roof of the Auto Collision Building on the campus.

SOTC superintendent Dr. David Powell said several buildings on campus received minor damage, but the Auto Collision Building received the worst.

“We have a pretty long history of storm damage,” Powell said. “This time, the winds pretty much peeled the roof off of the Auto Collision Building.”

SOTC officials were still waiting for damage estimates Thursday. But Powell said the building, which also houses the maintenance department, needs to be replaced.

“The entire building really needs to be bulldozed,” he said. “The building already had structural damage. And the last time the insurance adjuster looked at it, he said we needed to put a metal roof on it. But the fact is, the building isn’t worth what it would cost to put a metal roof on it.”

The good news for SOTC is the school year is nearly over. Powell said the next step will be to determine where they will house the Auto Collision program at the beginning of next year.

“We will probably have to start the school year with Auto Collision somewhere else,” he said. “We will probably look at moving them to the south end of the Auto Service Building.”
Micah Groves, 221-6542
micah.groves@ardmoreite.com