The Wake

Students walking through the “Knoll” area of campus last year noticed the construction being done to the area, particularly on Jones and Nicholson Halls. The projects are part of the developing humanities district in this historic part of campus. On Jan. 27, the university held a special open house in celebration of the reopening of Nicholson Hall, which has been open for classes since the start of spring semester.

Nicholson Hall, which is on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Old Campus Historic District, was built in 1890 by architect Leroy Buffington, who also worked on Eddy, Burton and Pillsbury Halls, but additions were made by C.H. Johnston in 1925. The building once housed chemistry and physics laboratories, a “Men’s Union,” and was used by the Navy as a machinists mates school during World War II. It later contained General College classrooms and a U Film Society auditorium.

The renovation was funded by $24 million received through a Minnesota legislative bonding bill. Highlights of the project, by the Collaborative Design Group (whose other historic projects have included Landmark Center, International Market Square and Midtown Exchange), include telecommunications and fire suppression upgrades; replacement of the structure for the foundation, floors and roof; and much-needed classrooms and auditoria, according to information from the reopening event. Additional features include “an outdoor courtyard on the south side of the building and a re-built turret,” which had been removed during an addition in the 1920s. Some parts of the building were destroyed, however, including the auditorium added to the south side in the 1940s. According to the event information, though, improvements to the building’s third floor increased the amount of assignable space (for classes, etc.) available in Nicholson Hall.

Particularly notable are some of the architecturally significant elements of the building that have been restored and retained, including the art deco entry vestibule, Fireplace Room, and the historic staircase.

Although the renovated Nicholson Hall is now a highlight of the university’s historic and architectural legacy, it wasn’t always clear that renovation was going to be in the building’s future. Speakers at the reopening event mentioned the fact that it was once suggested the building be razed. “I’m sure there were many people who thought it would be a warm day in January before Nicholson Hall would be renovated,” said Craig Swan, vice-provost for undergraduate education, joking about the unusually warm weather on the day of the reopening celebration.

The renovation process was also not without its challenges—and its tragic accidents. On Feb. 17, 2005, 52-year-old Robin Sutter, an iron worker, fell to his death from an upper level of Nicholson Hall. A plaque inside the building commemorates his service on the construction project.

Despite the obstacles, the end-result seems to be an excellent one. The renovated Nicholson Hall has been very well received by many members of the campus community—and in particular, those who get to occupy the fresh space.

“It’s making us a lot more visible and accessible to students,” says Kirsten Jamsen, director of the Center for Writing, which was previously housed on the second and third floors of Lind Hall. It’s “a well-designed, bigger space and we can continue to reconfigure the space for a lot of different uses,” she says. “It’s going to expand the kind of programming we can do for students.” Jamsen also sees the move as a way to better integrate all of the Center for Writing’s programs, which include a faculty-development program and a research center. The Center also plans to host its 16th annual Minnesota Wring Project, which is a summer institute for K-12 teachers, as well as a Gopher Writing Camp for urban middle school students.

Honors in the College of Liberal Arts is also one of the new occupants of the building, after having been “temporarily” located in Johnston Hall for decades. “Johnston Hall was our 40-year temporary space,” says Pamela Baker, Honors assistant program director. “It was never meant to be our final space.” Expanded office space, a small library for summa theses which doubles as a student lounge and a seminar room all mean that the growing Honors program will no longer be so cramped. “When our numbers went up, we had that many more people in that very small space,” says Baker. “We’ve been ‘making do’ for a really long time and you get to a point where it’s just not enough.” While moving has meant boxes upon boxes that still need opening and organizing, “we’re excited about what’s possible,” she says.

Also newly moved into Nicholson are the departments of Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature and Classical and Near Eastern Studies.

However, the renovation and reopening of Nicholson and Jones Halls doesn’t mark the end of construction in the Knoll area of campus. “This is just ‘phase one’ of the completion of the humanities district,” says Steven Rosenstone, dean of the College of Liberal Arts. “Next on the list is Folwell, then Pillsbury, then Scott.”