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Post by rgs318 on Feb 14, 2023 12:11:09 GMT -5
The only "historic significance" I can think of is that these buildings have not visibly changed to any degree in over half a century. At our 55th reunion I felt like I was back in the 1960s.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Feb 14, 2023 12:19:38 GMT -5
Maybe the historical significance is …RGS slept here…. With a sign attached to the dorm entrance similar to a post about George Washington slept here. 😃
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Post by rgs318 on Feb 14, 2023 12:55:59 GMT -5
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Post by sader1970 on Feb 14, 2023 12:57:26 GMT -5
I do believe there was some discussion of asbestos which I think Crucis alluded to.
Again, just guessing here but would think they would want to nail down what they want to do with the hill dorms (renovation vs. replacement) and the place holder dorm before they release the campus plan.
Can’t put out a plan with a bunch of TBDs as that’s why you write a plan,
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Post by mm67 on Feb 14, 2023 13:06:15 GMT -5
Glad the school is tearing what to this observer are dorms which are 50's-60's functional ugly as was commonplace on campuses. The interiors are spartan by today's standards and not particularly appealing. They were built to serve a purpose - student housing- with little concern for aesthetics & the architectural history of the College. They were built on the cheap at a time when HC was a financially struggling little college and had to build as cheaply as possible. Alumni & Carlin have a more classical style worthy of a great college.
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Post by Tom on Feb 14, 2023 13:10:01 GMT -5
I question the need for replacement. The school might choose to replace because it's easier to make suites or whatever to attract 21st century students but that is not the same as requiring replacement. Was construction so shoddy in the 60's the hill dorms need to be demolished while Carlin and Alumni are still adequate? If you want to bring the dorms up to a place where they are an asset to attracting students in 2030 and well beyond, the only thing you could keep would be the exterior walls. Guessing it’s easier/cheaper/quicker to just knock them down and start over. Pretty much my point. More of a want than a need to come down because quality of living space is a big part of college selection and HC wants to be a leader. (and these damn kids probably only walked up hill 10 miles to grammar school one way)
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 14, 2023 13:11:08 GMT -5
The oldest of the Easy St. dorms are 65+ years old. These were economically built. It appears there may be asbestos in the walls. (The only reason I can think of why they are hesitant to sell bricks.) Someone who is adept at perusing the "Crusader" archives may find an old construction photo or two. I suspect the basic construction is steel and cement. The steel may have been fireproofed with asbestos.
If so, there is no salvaging any of the building.
And there is no point, as the saying goes, to spend money 'putting lipstick on a pig'. The plumbing, heating, electrical needs to be completely replaced. They have spent money in recent years on new roofs and replacing windows, but I don't believe that all four of the earliest Easy St. dorms have had this done. I believe this recent spending could not be deferred.
I expect the reconstructed dorms to have A/C, and to be much more energy efficient.
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Post by matunuck on Feb 14, 2023 15:12:34 GMT -5
Glad the school is tearing what to this observer are dorms which are 50's-60's functional ugly as was commonplace on campuses. The interiors are spartan by today's standards and not particularly appealing. They were built to serve a purpose - student housing- with little concern for aesthetics & the architectural history of the College. They were built on the cheap at a time when HC was a financially struggling little college and had to build as cheaply as possible. Alumni & Carlin have a more classical style worthy of a great college. Do hope the new dorms will have a lot more in common architecturally with the lower half of the campus than the rest.
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Feb 14, 2023 15:19:40 GMT -5
Glad the school is tearing what to this observer are dorms which are 50's-60's functional ugly as was commonplace on campuses. The interiors are spartan by today's standards and not particularly appealing. They were built to serve a purpose - student housing- with little concern for aesthetics & the architectural history of the College. They were built on the cheap at a time when HC was a financially struggling little college and had to build as cheaply as possible. Alumni & Carlin have a more classical style worthy of a great college. Do hope the new dorms will have a lot more in common architecturally with the lower half of the campus than the rest. Amen, brother. Red Brick is the way to go, and I’ll allow granite accents
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Post by newfieguy74 on Feb 14, 2023 15:24:20 GMT -5
Glad the school is tearing what to this observer are dorms which are 50's-60's functional ugly as was commonplace on campuses. The interiors are spartan by today's standards and not particularly appealing. They were built to serve a purpose - student housing- with little concern for aesthetics & the architectural history of the College. They were built on the cheap at a time when HC was a financially struggling little college and had to build as cheaply as possible. Alumni & Carlin have a more classical style worthy of a great college. Do hope the new dorms will have a lot more in common architecturally with the lower half of the campus than the rest. I lived in Lehy my last three years at HC and was perfectly content, although I have to admit there is a significant charm deficit with the Easy St. dorms. I'm not too worried about the design of any new Easy St. dorms. The new dorms/apts. under construction are very attractive. And PPAC is beautiful inside and out. HC's campus is a study in good architectural taste.
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Post by Crucis#1 on Feb 14, 2023 17:06:09 GMT -5
The oldest of the Easy St. dorms are 65+ years old. These were economically built. It appears there may be asbestos in the walls. (The only reason I can think of why they are hesitant to sell bricks.) Someone who is adept at perusing the "Crusader" archives may find an old construction photo or two. I suspect the basic construction is steel and cement. The steel may have been fireproofed with asbestos. If so, there is no salvaging any of the building. And there is no point, as the saying goes, to spend money 'putting lipstick on a pig'. The plumbing, heating, electrical needs to be completely replaced. They have spent money in recent years on new roofs and replacing windows, but I don't believe that all four of the earliest Easy St. dorms have had this done. I believe this recent spending could not be deferred. I expect the reconstructed dorms to have A/C, and to be much more energy efficient. There is asbestos in the buildings, which is the reason there will not be a nostalgic brick sale to alums. I agree that the new dorms must have A/C especially to make HC a year round campus with summer school and sports camps. Also there is a need for updated fire abatement systems, as I don’t recall sprinklers in any of the Easy Street Dorms. Exciting times to make Mt St. James an appealing 21st Century campus.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 14, 2023 17:15:05 GMT -5
The oldest of the Easy St. dorms are 65+ years old. These were economically built. It appears there may be asbestos in the walls. (The only reason I can think of why they are hesitant to sell bricks.) Someone who is adept at perusing the "Crusader" archives may find an old construction photo or two. I suspect the basic construction is steel and cement. The steel may have been fireproofed with asbestos. If so, there is no salvaging any of the building. And there is no point, as the saying goes, to spend money 'putting lipstick on a pig'. The plumbing, heating, electrical needs to be completely replaced. They have spent money in recent years on new roofs and replacing windows, but I don't believe that all four of the earliest Easy St. dorms have had this done. I believe this recent spending could not be deferred. I expect the reconstructed dorms to have A/C, and to be much more energy efficient. There is asbestos in the buildings, which is the reason there will not be a nostalgic brick sale to alums. I agree that the new dorms must have A/C especially to make HC a year round campus with summer school and sports camps. Also there is a need for updated fire abatement systems, as I don’t recall sprinklers in any of the Easy Street Dorms. Exciting times to make Mt St. James an appealing 21st Century campus. A boiler in Kimball to provide steam heat is so 20th Century. Even though, IIRC, has replaced some of the steam pipes in recent decades.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2023 7:52:42 GMT -5
Now that The Jo webcam is back on-line, it appears the the new Jesuit residence and both new residence halls are all buttoned up, with windows, outside walls, and roofs in place, allowing workers to construct interiors without being impeded by the weather.
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Post by newfieguy74 on Feb 23, 2023 8:08:30 GMT -5
Now that The Jo webcam is back on-line, it appears the the new Jesuit residence and both new residence halls are all buttoned up, with windows, outside walls, and roofs in place, allowing workers to construct interiors without being impeded by the weather. I've been to some home MBB games this year and have marveled at the remarkable (at least to me) speed that the Jesuit residence and new student residences have gone up. They are also attractive structures.
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Post by timholycross on Feb 24, 2023 0:38:05 GMT -5
I'd imagine they could do something more efficient and aesthetically pleasing with the footprint those 4 buildings sit on. I lived in Clark 3 years; can't imagine it's gained charm since then; given it had little to begin with.
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Post by purplenurple on Feb 24, 2023 8:24:14 GMT -5
Do hope the new dorms will have a lot more in common architecturally with the lower half of the campus than the rest. I lived in Lehy my last three years at HC and was perfectly content, although I have to admit there is a significant charm deficit with the Easy St. dorms. I'm not too worried about the design of any new Easy St. dorms. The new dorms/apts. under construction are very attractive. And PPAC is beautiful inside and out. HC's campus is a study in good architectural taste. Going to disagree with you there. I think we could have done much better fromm an aesthetic standpoint than Williams and Figge which in my mind are not as visually appealing as the Easy St. dorms exteriorly and already show that they will not age gracefully and lack the grace and ornamentation of the Maginnis & Walsh era buildings on the campus. I must concede our rival to the east has done a much better job in constructing new buildings that emulate older, iconic buildings on campus. The PPAC is fine as it represents the arts and those should always be pushing forward while maintaining reverence for classic works. Alumni and Carlin should be the bar for new construction not Williams or Figge. If this requires more expensive construction per square foot, so be it. We should be building for centuries, not the next decade or two.
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Post by matunuck on Feb 24, 2023 9:58:47 GMT -5
Could not agree more -- "Alumni and Carlin should be the bar for new construction not Williams or Figge."
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Post by mm67 on Feb 24, 2023 11:56:12 GMT -5
Aesthetics is so important. Do hope TPTB avoid modernism and build in the classic New England Red Brick style but in a beautiful way. Alumni & Carlin are fine. Williams & Figge aren't encouraging. Please no modern PPAC Rube Goldberg design. Actually rather than a linear design for the buildings , a curved design with courtyards and buildings set back from the street, possibly with low stone walls. Lots of shrubbery & plantings. Whatever. Build with taste & beauty in mind.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 24, 2023 12:57:48 GMT -5
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Post by matunuck on Feb 24, 2023 13:41:59 GMT -5
Speaking for myself, of course, but I'm referring to the exteriors having the feel of the lower campus.
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Post by purplenurple on Feb 24, 2023 13:53:03 GMT -5
I think the new townhouses will be great for upperclassmen looking for apartment-like living, but for underclassmen dorm they should strive for something more enduring and in line with Wheeler. There is a reason you never see Figge or Williams in drone videos of the campus or HC calendars. Traditional architecture (Fenwick, Dinand, Wheeler, St. Joseph's, etc.) are what people identify with a campus fondly. That should be the goal for any replacement of Easy St. dorms, if required. Personally, the interior of Easy St. is what needs to be addressed more than the exterior.
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Post by mm67 on Feb 24, 2023 15:50:06 GMT -5
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Post by mm67 on Feb 24, 2023 15:50:34 GMT -5
Yale, yup.
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Post by hc6774 on Mar 3, 2023 8:16:34 GMT -5
Just reviewed this.
A year ago at a presentation an estimate of $1B was mentioned to upgrade campus buildings...housing?
With an enrollment of 3000 - 3200; how many residences are needed?
I'm sure that several if not many recall that 'residential college' included a Jesuit living on every dorm floor.
I believe more recently, pre Covid, I heard there is a staff family or 2 in residence... in Figgie?
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Post by KY Crusader 75 on Mar 3, 2023 8:53:24 GMT -5
Wow--$1,000,000,000 seems like an awfully high number to me
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