An independent engineering firm found multiple design and construction problems in WKU’s two newest dorms and called for extensive repairs to strengthen the buildings and correct code violations, according to reports obtained by the College Heights Herald.

The WKU Student Life Foundation, which owns WKU’s residence halls, provided the engineering reports to the Herald in response to a request under the Kentucky Open Records Act.

WKU and the Student Life Foundation announced on May 16 that Normal and Regents halls, the $48 million centerpiece buildings that opened in 2021 in the First Year Village, would be closed for at least the coming year to make repairs.

On the same day, the foundation announced that Hilltopper Hall, opened in 2018 at a cost of $40 million and considered WKU’s showcase dorm, must be demolished because of design and construction flaws. The same architecture and engineering firms designed all three buildings, though Hilltopper was built by Scott Murphy & Daniel of Bowling Green and Normal and Regents were built by Builders by Design of Bowling Green. 

The documents that identified the flaws in Normal and Regents Halls were prepared by Brown+Kubican Structural Engineers (B+K), JRA Architects, UL Solutions and KFI Engineers revealed they were not up to building code.

B+K also offered a structural report of Hilltopper Hall, revealing “inferior quality workmanship,” especially as it related to the masonry and facade. Hilltopper Hall had the same architect, Sewell and Sewell, and engineer, Donald H. Stoneburg Engineering, as Normal Hall and Regents Hall.

The grade of the steel beams in both Normal Hall and Regents Hall was unknown to B+K. The report suggested material testing throughout the buildings to determine the quality and strength of the steel used in construction.

“Some of the steel beams have calculated deflections that exceed allowable limits from the building code,” the B+K report stated for the assessment of Normal Hall. “We recommend reinforcing these beams to increase their stiffness to comply with the building code requirements.”

As designed, Normal Hall and Regents Hall do not adequately withstand lateral forces, such as strong winds or seismic activity, the reports state. 

The engineering report recommends the addition of lateral bracing to the first floor. The B+K report states that adding bracing would require a reworking of the first-level floor plan.

The B+K report alternatively suggested adding concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls. The report stated the stairwells and elevator shafts were not designed to help the overall structural integrity of the building. The report suggested that the stairwell and elevator shafts could be demolished and replaced with new structures to stabilize the building.

The B+K report also offered various “miscellaneous strengthening” suggestions for Normal Hall and Regents Hall:

• Weld steel reinforcement to the column splices at the 4th floor.
• Revise the connection details and add adhesive anchors at steel connections to CMU walls, including at all stair shafts.
• Apply new coatings and/or architectural wrapping of exterior steel framing to prevent corrosion that could weaken the steel.

In Regents Hall, it is also suggested to install “steel kickers at roof-level spandrel beams.”

The B+K report found that steel framing in Regents Hall was inadequate, even in generous estimates.

“Much of the steel beam framing for Regents Hall is inadequately sized to support the loads required,” the report stated. “Even after assuming a yield stress of 50 ksi for the steel, several of the steel beams are undersized for strength, deflection, or both.”

A memorandum to B+K from KFI, included in the reports, stated that they were unable to locate up-to-code fire dampers in a visual assessment of Normal and Regents halls. 

“We were unable to confirm the existence of code required dampers for the ductwork after extensive review of the spaces above the ACT and hard ceilings where access was possible,” KFI stated. “The dampers may exist and do require access panels in the bottom of the duct, however, those were not visible either.”

Reports also found drywall within both Normal and Regents halls was not in compliance with fire codes. Among the repairs the Student Life Foundation outlined was replacing the ceilings in both buildings.

The reports also noted issues with insulation at the roof and foundation of both buildings that may impact heating and cooling.

The decision to close Normal and Regents halls for the coming year has resulted in about 1,000 students having changes in their residence hall assignments for 2025-26, and required the Student Life Foundation to lease the Hyatt Place hotel on campus to operate as Center Hall.