Approximately a dozen students, faculty, staff and alumni were on hand to see the April 1 unveiling of plans for the New Founders hall. The renovation is expected to cost $5 to $7million and is funded largely by a gift from the Bauman Estate, which also provided Bauman Telecomunications Center.
Walton Teague, of Teague Freyaldenhoven Architects and Planners, designed the plans. Before creating them he met with Guilford students to hear their hopes.
“He was very receptive to our ideas,” said senior Laura Myerchin. “He was president of Student Union when he was in college, which gave him an idea of what we wanted.”
The goal of the five-summer renovation plans is to “turn Founders into a building that would be the true social hub of Guilford College,” said Chair of Theatre Studies Jack Zerbe, who has been involved in planning the renovations for nearly 10 years.
Construction will begin this summer with the installation of a 14-foot wide brick patio around the front of Founders Hall, facing the quad. The patio will include wireless access and a wheelchair ramp, and be the first step towards creating more usable space in Founders Hall.
Director of Student Involvement Rebecca Saunders already has ideas for using the space , suggesting that “it would be nice to have a craft fair, or a farmers market on the terrace.”
Phase Two, scheduled to be completed next summer, is the biggest step of the project. It will entail “filling in” the outdoor space where the current handicapped entrance is, between the cafeteria and Sternberger.
That area will be excavated to the level of the Underground, expanding that space and providing more mailboxes. The roof of the addition will feature skylights, emphasizing natural lighting even in the basement level.
Renovation plans also include overhauling Sternberger, the Underground, and non-public areas, such as offices, health services and career planning. The plans also anticipate moving the Theater department to Dana Auditorium, which would then become a performing arts center.
This will not happen anytime soon, Zerbe said. “For the next five years we’re in Sternberger, unless someone walks up and plunks down five to ten million dollars.”
Some students and faculty voiced concerns about the ecological soundness of the new Founders, both during construction and operation. The class of ’04 has elected to donate a sum towards making the New Founders environmentally friendly in multiple ways, incluing the use of solar power panels.
Geology Professor Angela Moore is enthusiastic about the renovations, recalling that when she arrived at Guilford she filled out a survey that asked what she would improve about the campus.
Moore says her response was instantaneous. “Founders. It’s terrible. As far as environmentalism is concerned, Guilford has a long way to go, but this is a start,” referring to environmentalism’s priority in the renovations.
Student reactions were generally supportive, mainly concerned with cost.
“It’s a good idea,” said first-year Sarah Meyer. “I don’t know if I’d spend five million dollars, but I think there need to be a space for students to hang out that’s separate from where the administration’s offices are.”
Sophomore Hope Forester was less enthusiastic, saying “I’d rather have a mediocre Founders hall than a ton of student loans.”
But first-year Tristan Wilson took the long view. “Schools that have newer buildings and higher tuition rates tend to be perceived as more selective … That’s why they always take prospectives through Frank. I’m not thrilled about the cost, but I feel it will make my degree worth more.