HYDE PARK — The Oriental Institute will be closed all day Wednesday after a problem with a University of Chicago boilers interrupted heat to much of the campus.
The museum, 1155 E. 58th St., so far is the only campus building to announce any cancelations because of the problem affecting all of campus south of the Midway Plaisance, the Laboratory Schools, the Booth School of Business and other campus buildings.
“Facilities Services worked through the night to identify the problem, but this work requires shutting down the south campus boilers at intervals,” said Rowan Miranda, vice president for operations at the university, in a letter to campus Wednesday morning.
Much of the University of Chicago campus is heated by two large boilers at the northern and southern edges of campus that pump steam and hot water through a system of underground pipes to university buildings.
Miranda says in the letter that a leak in a steam tunnel was discovered Tuesday afternoon and heat would be intermittent until the issue was fixed.
“Faculty, students and staff in affected buildings may want to consider using alternate work spaces in the Reynolds Club and the Regenstein Library,” Miranda said.
In a note posted online, the Oriental Institute said it was told the heating plant on the south end of campus could be shut down for 10-12 hours.
Teachers and students at the Laboratory Schools were advised to come to school dressed warmly because of the problem, but no classes have been reported canceled.
The Seminary Cooperative Bookstore and Plein Air Café, which are housed in a university-owned building at 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave., are also affected.
Student and faculty housing at the International House, 1414 E. 59th St., and the 5825 S. Dorchester Ave. building are also affected.
The problems do not affect cold water and showers, sinks and toilets will continue to work, according to Miranda.
