The Art and Music Building at Colorado State University-Pueblo is undergoing major roof repairs and due to construction, the main stairwell is inaccessible.

The roof, which is 40 years old, started leaking into a few of the building’s classrooms last year. Because of this, the Associated Students’ Government worked with the state of Colorado to help fund a portion of the repairs, which started this semester. The majority of the funding comes from student facility fees that have accumulated over the course of the past decade.

“The primary purpose is to eliminate roof leaks in the studio spaces below by stripping off and completely replacing the deteriorated 40-year-old plaza deck surfacing,” said John Barnosky, director of Planning and Construction at CSU-Pueblo.

“This replacement will result in a new waterproof membrane. But also, new plantings and walkways will be added over the top of the membrane.”

The new roof will not include places for people to sit, but Barnosky said the roof will still serve as a spot of recreation on campus.

“The result will be a sustainable ‘green-roof’ system that will make the plaza and pathways more environmentally friendly, and available for impromptu gatherings,” Barnosky said.

The main stairwell of the building, which is level with the roof at its highest point and descends into a plaza surrounded by classrooms, will be blocked off for the rest of the semester.

“The stairs will be accessible again in February 2016,” Barnosky said. In the meantime, people will have to use detours to get inside the building.

Barnosky said the building is expected to be complete early in the spring 2016 semester, “except full growth of seeded areas will be achieved in summer 2016.”

A sketch designed by architect Demmon Design Studios depicts a walking path through the “green roof,” and plants and grass along the sides.

Barnosky said other upcoming campus construction projects are on the horizon, pending approval of state funding requests. Some of the repairs include upper roof replacement on Hoag Hall and repairs on the Art and Music Building stairwell.