By Sue Loughlin
TERRE HAUTE — Some Indiana State University College of Education faculty are “absolutely giddy” about moving into their new digs at University Hall, said Susan Powers, associate dean, who is coordinating the move.
“It’s a beautiful facility,” she said. The former ISU Lab School has undergone a nearly $30 million renovation.
Up until now, faculty offices, classrooms and programs have been spread over 15 floors in one of the Statesman Towers, originally built as residence halls. “You just didn’t see anybody,” said Powers, who also is a professor in the department of curriculum, instruction and media technology.
In University Hall, all faculty will be on the same floor, which will mean increased collaboration. Powers also believes the various spaces created in University Hall — including an enclosed atrium — will lead to more faculty-student interaction.
Highlights of the renovation project include high-tech classrooms and conference rooms, a 445-seat theater, the atrium and a comprehensive clinic that provides services to the public.
The move from Statesman Towers to University Hall began last week and will take about three weeks, said Dean Brad Balch, whose new offices used to serve as a kindergarten area. Faculty will begin moving in next week.
The College of Education’s new home will be ready for classes in August, and a dedication is planned for September.
“This building brings everyone together and has a much more coherent academic feel to it,” said Balch, as he conducted a tour Thursday. “I’m so proud of this facility.”
The renovation project preserved many historic aspects of the building, constructed during the 1930s and listed on the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archeology historic sites and structures list.
Stairways, railings, display casework and the glazed brick on the walls have been preserved. Artist Bill Wolfe is restoring a historic Gilbert Wilson mural on the building’s main floor.
But University Hall has been modernized with new utility and technology systems, and there’s been a major emphasis on energy conservation and “green” features.
New heating and air conditioning systems allow for individual controls in each room, a sharp contrast to the “all or nothing” heating and cooling in Statesman Towers. The move will generate substantial savings in repair/rehabilitation and utility costs, officials say.
One of the hallmarks of the project has been the enclosure of the center atrium, which used to be open air. “It has a cityscape feel,” Balch said. “It’s a real gem.”
The atrium will be a focal point for University Hall — a place where students and faculty can eat, gather and learn. Sodexho will operate a restaurant in the facility.
The atrium’s skylights capture light and help with heating in the wintertime, but they’ve also been designed to minimize heat during the summer.
One goal is to have education majors spend as much of their learning day as possible in University Hall. “We want this to be their academic home,” Balch said.
University Hall will have 13 traditional classrooms, but it includes plenty of other learning spaces throughout the building. Students say that some of their most powerful learning experiences occur in places outside the classroom, Balch said.
Another focal point of the building is the restored auditorium, which had water damage and hadn’t been used for many years. Sycamore Theater, which has 445 seats and a balcony, could be used for theater productions and musical performances. The public also will be able to use it. Its academic uses are still being defined, Balch said.
A lower “Garden Level” will house the many clinics provided by the College of Education that have been located on several floors in Statesman Towers. The clinic space also will have a parking area dedicated to it north of the building.
Another feature of University Hall will be micro-teaching labs where students can practice their future profession.
Sue Loughlin can be reached at (812) 231-4235 or sue.loughlin@tribstar.com.
