Lory Student Union Flood Mitigation – Colorado State University,
Fort Collins, Colorado

Lory Student Union, a hub for campus activities at Colorado State University, offers its west entrance as a major intersection of pedestrian and vehicular traffic. The July, 1997, flood inundated the lower floors of Lory with water levels of five feet above entry door thresholds. As part of a general renovation of the lower levels of the building, Jim Sell Design developed and oversaw the implementation of a plan that restructured the western entrance area. Stone-faced flood walls were constructed and over 12,000 cubic yards of earth moved on site to create a "gateway" and provide flood protection. Included within the area are an outdoor eating pavilion and two amphitheatres.