Following the recent collapse of layers of paint from Beta Bridge, University Facilities Management is currently deciding whether to remove all paint layers from the historic student canvas.
According to Richard Hopkins, landscape superintendent of Facilities Management, the layers of paint fell off the bridge earlier this semester because of improper painting in the past.
Analysis revealed there is a layer of green paint that never properly adhered on the ease side of the bridge, according to Hopkins. In some areas this layer, located deep in the thick paint layer atop the bridge, is still moist.
Mark Webb, associate director for work management at Facilities Management, said no final conclusion has been reached regarding paint removal, but there were discussions with the City of Charlottesville last Friday.
"Beta Bridge is definitely not University owned, so if we do remove it [paint layers] we have must have the city's permission," Hopkins said. As for safety concerns, Facilities Management received negative results after testing for hazardous lead paint; however, they are taking precautions within the removal process as if lead paint did exist, Webb said.
"We are handling it on a precautionary basis," he said. "Who knows what is buried in all those layers?"
If approved by the city, this would be the first major removal of paint from Beta Bridge in the last 15 or more years, according to Hopkins.
"The main reason this has started is because it is just a matter of time before more paint layers fall," Webb said.
"It makes sense to just go ahead and take care of all of it."
But what some view as an overdue renovation project others see as dynamic artwork.
"The walls of buildings in Paris and Rome were covered with years of posters, and artists would cut down layers and history and exhibit it as art," Art History Prof. Howard Singerman said.
According to Singerman, if painting Beta Bridge is viewed as tradition, the University should let the paint layers crumble off. But if it is viewed as art, artists should be able to take off and preserve the layers of paint.
Beta Bridge "is a record of history," he said. "It just seems to me that the studio art and anthropology department might want to do something interesting to it."
Student reaction to the potential removal of all paint layers seems to vary.
"I can understand where [Facilities Management is] coming from, but it would be stripping the University of tradition," second-year Engineering student Mark Hazelgrove said.
Yet, according to third-year College student Chris Blank, bringing Beta Bridge down to its bare beginnings only seems rational.
"I care in the sense they are using University funds, but if the [paint layers on the bridge] pose a safety concern then it should definitely be fixed," he said.Blank added that he believes student opinion on Beta Bridge only has limited impact.
According to Webb, however, this is a much simpler issue.
"Obviously the previous night's message is the only thing that is visible," he said. "We just want to fix it so the paint isn't falling on the sidewalk"
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