Good Bye North Hall (ROTC Building)/School of Kinesiology moving up in the world
I know we have quite a few ROTC alums as well School of Kinesiology students and alums on the Board. Just saw this article about the upcoming University Regents meeting in today's Michigan Daily http://www.michigandaily.com/news/regents-preview?page=0,0
Looks like North Hall, the long long time home of ROTC, is being demolished so that the University can add a huge expansion on to the Life Sciences building that has taken over the back stretch of Washtenaw across from Palmer Field/The Hill Dorms. Apparently when the new building is built, some biology programs that are holed up in the Kraus Building (the building with that small greenhouse that faces the Diag) will be moved in, ROTC will be moved to the Kinesiology building ( which is located at the corner by School of Public Health and across from Alice Lloyd dorm), and Kinesiology will be moved in to the Kraus Building.
Initial thoughts:
1) Sorry to see North Hall go. I wasn't ROTC but I always liked the architecture of that building and passing by the ROTC students when they were training. Sorry to lose that to yet another glass and iron research laboratory but that stuff is what pays the bills these days.
2) Hope the freshmen in the Hill Dorms don't mind the early morning racket of the ROTC students training.
3) Other than the front of Angell Hall and the Grad Library is there anything on central campus that is still the same as it was 20 years ago?
4) Nice step up for the School of Kinesiology after being housed in the back of the CCRB and a former apartment structure for several decades. Now they're right on the Diag.
5) If Kinesiology is moving its labs out of the CCRB then does that mean the University is FINALLY going to do some expansion and upgrades to the recreational space for students to use at the CCRB?? We have the WORST student work out facilities in the nation.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
to hook up with a girl that lived in North Hall my freshman year. It never panned out - ergo, I bid North Hall adieu without reservation.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
seems appropriate here: http://www.pinetree.net/humor/thermodynamics.html
February 18th, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
I should know, as I drafted that in the wake of the rejection.
I keed I keed
February 18th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
We pride ourselves on michigan being a top notch research university and this will only help that.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
See: U-M leverages student fees, football tickets and parking to pay for 6 gym and union renovations
The university plans to renovate the Intramural Sports Building, built in 1928; the Central Campus Recreation Building and the North Campus Recreation Building, both built in 1976; and improve Mitchell Fields, where students play intramural and club sports. Renovations to Michigan Union, built in 1919, and Pierpont Commons also are a part of the $173 million project.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
February 18th, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
As to your point, I'd say I'll believe it when the Regents approve it.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^
They approved the student fee to partially pay for the renovations, so it seems unlikely they'll then turn around and nix the individual renovation projects as they come up for approval.
See also: Regents approve student fee to support renovations at unions, rec sports
Estimated cost for the renovations and additions to six individual facilities is $173 million. The renovations are expected to take several years to complete, but planning will begin this fall. Each project will come back to the Board of Regents for approval.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
About time!! I worked in one of the labs in the basement of CCRB, HOLY CRAP that was awful. Concrete bunker, separated from the rest of the biomedical campus. Glad to hear Kines is moving up in the world, they do some good research.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:33 PM ^
The Bentley has a nice page on the history of North Hall, if anyone is interested - LINK
Some highlights -
Cost to build in 1899: $80,306.50 (this would have to be several million in adjused dollars, I imagine)
- It was the Homeopathic Medical College until 1922. In 1926, it was designated as "South Department Hospital"
- It was transferred to the Navy ROTC in 1940
There is also a passage from a 1900 issue of Alumnus written to describe the then-new building. Very interesting stuff here.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
This was the time of 1994 that it was super cold. I was taking Bio 102: Practical Botany. The best part was a four-hour lab at Matthaei Botanical Gardens every Tuesday. It was cold outside but sunny and 75-80 in the greenhouse. I tried to bring a potted plant back to MoJo on the Tuesday it was -21F outside. The plant was well-wrapped but unsurprisingly succumbed to the cold. I still have one plant from that class, still alive despite two decades of mostly neglect.
February 18th, 2014 at 1:56 PM ^
This is very depressing for me. I spent my last two years in that building practically. Now that I am out of the Army, I'll share this memory. My good friend David was able to live in that building for an entire semester without getting caught. He didn't pay a dime of rent. Great American!
February 18th, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
The north facade of North Quad (formerly the Frieze building) is still the same. I remeber the push to keep the facade by townies and alumni alike leading to the strange demo/constuction where the facade was the only thing standing for months on end.
February 18th, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
in the Kraus Building (I never knew that was the name of it). That was always a bit of a landmark for me on the central campus when I first saw it in 1976. I don't think I've ever seen the windows clear enough to see what was inside it despite trying every time I walked by!
There are actually a good number of buildings and landmarks that basically look the same (on the outside) as when I was an undergrad in the late 70's:
1. Kelsey Museum
2. Lorch Hall
3. President's house
4. Ruthven Museum
5. Dennison building
6.. Union
To name some of them. I used the CCRB when it was almost brand new and it wasn't great then either.
February 18th, 2014 at 2:29 PM ^
February 18th, 2014 at 3:04 PM ^
Funny. Tiny hallways and low ceilings built for small individuals- but it still has its character. Plus I like the apple(?) on top of the building.
February 18th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
Can't imagine it has changed much. Most underrated building on campus
February 18th, 2014 at 3:39 PM ^
Good. Observatory Lodge was a sardines can for Sport Mgmt. classes. The stairwell was a major fire hazard because everyone had to file in a single line just to squeeze past each other either going up or down.
Walking from econ from Lorch to the CCRB or Observatory Lodge in 10 minutes was a bitch and a half too.
Good for them.
February 18th, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^
... but the Kinesiology building seems like a fitting substitute based on its outside fascade.
I wonder where they will do the haunted house.
February 18th, 2014 at 10:03 PM ^
Place has prob had a lot of roles.
Will def miss the ROTC students on my walk to campus before 7 each morning.