Independent
Thursday/May 12, 1988
Comparison of new dorms shows great differences
By Kathryn Sagar
Margretta Hall and Virgil Michael Hall will offer very different living for sophomores at the College of St. Benedict and seniors at St. John's University. In a cost, time, and space, the two dorms are very different.
Margretta Hall will have an estimated cost of $2.3 million, while the cost of Virgil Michael Hall is estimated at $1.2 million. These costs represent construction costs only. They will not include furnishings, ultilities, landscaping, architects fees or contingency, according to Warren Janzen, vice president for administrative services at SJU.
Margretta Hall will take five months to build, while Virgil Michael Hall will be under construction for nine months. Work began on Margretta Hall March 7, and will be completed by Aug. 15 according to Dennis Jordan, head of the CSB physical plant. Construction on Virgil Michael Hall began on Oct. 5 and will be finished by mid-July or the end of July , according to Brother Benedict Leuthner, coordinator of maintenance shops.
Margretta Hall will house 157 students, according to Sister Susan Rudolph, director of housing and residence life. Margretta Hall was designed in dormitory style with double and single rooms arranged in double hallways with three floors, according Jordan. Virgil Michael Hall will house 52 students in apartment and suite style living arrangements, according to Judy Karasch, director of
photo by Dewey Hogan
Margretta Hall, the new dorm under construction at CSB, is projected to be finished by mid-August
student services.
New features such as handicapped-equipped rooms, central air conditioning, and large meeting rooms will be built into both dorms, according to Rudolph and Judy Karasch, director of student services at SJU. Both halls were designed with summer conference use in mind, according to Rudolph and Leuthner.
Saints to come out as scheduled
Todd Guerrero and Kelly Margo, editors of the Saints yearbook.
By Maggi Moetell
The Saints yearbook, which has had some trouble in the past, will come off without a hitch this year, according to Todd Guerrero, editor.
"Things have really started to gel in the last few weeks,11 Guerrerosaid.
The book will be out in the beginning of next year for returning students, and will be sent to the parents1 home of graduating seniors.
Because of the somewhat bad reputation that the Saints had from last year, this year's editors ass Tt that this year's staff is absolutely dc tched from last year's.
"We totally reorgani d in November of last year,1' G rrero said.
With a working staff of about 10 to 15 people, the staff was very small.
"Compared to other schools, our staff was small, and only about five people did most of the work," said Guerrero.
Using pictures and some copy from the Independent, Record, and the Public Information Office, the Saints covered most of the events that they missed out on by getting together so late in the year.
This year's sales totalled 700, with about 100 transfers from students who used last year's deposit for this year's book.
ITWe didn't sell quite as many as we would have liked, but with last year's reputation, we have to expect a decline/' said Kelly Margo, editor.
Margretta Hall will have a back porch, balconies, and computer lounges as well as the standard study and social lounges, according to Rudolph.
"We had a lot of input from students, a lot of input from staff, the expertise of the architects and Dennis Jordan with his physical plant knowledge," Rudolph said.
Virgil Michael Hall will also have a large kitchen on the third floor for floor dinners besides the kitchens in individual apartments, according to J Karasch. "It's the prototype of
the next two apartments we build...We really tried to extend the
community idea throughout," Karasch said.
Theresa Hall closes as student residence
Building to be renovated into faculty offices
By Patty Cousins
According to first year student Amy Schneider, "it is the coolest place to live." And for S. Brian Spain, CSB class of 1949, it holds a lot of precious memories. This place is Theresa Hall, or "The Rotunda," as Spain called it.
On May 20 the doors of Theresa Hall will close. It will no longer be a student residence but will be renovated into faculty office space due to the implementation of the Core Curriculum.
Work will begin May 23 on phase one of the renovation. This phase will include the remodeling of the second, third and fourth floors of Theresa Hall to accomodate faculty offices and a new business office for the student accounts and financial aid offices.
Theresa Hall was part of the original college structure and has been used as a dormitory since 1913. The existing stairwell area was what once connected Theresa to St. Gertrude!s Hall, the original main building.
Spain remembered Theresa as a living area with a "sense of purpose" that was much closer to the convent community. Theresa Hall was the only place to get single and double rooms while the other living areas were in dormitory fashion with 24
beds per area.
'The Rotunda area provided real openness," Spain said. " students got to know each other real well. If only the walls could talk!11
Nancy Krupicka, CSB junior, is currently the resident assistant on the third floor of Theresa.
lrYou automatically get to know each other in Theresa because of the rotunda arrangement," Krupicka said. "Theresa has a lot of character. It's unique because of the rotunda and the two skylights.11
Gary Berg is the assistant to S. Colman O'Connell, president of the College of St. Benedict. He has been working closely with the renovation project.
Berg admitted it was a difficult decision to close off Theresa to student housing, but deemed it necessary. Renovation in Theresa Hall was imminent due to life safety reasons, according to Berg. Wiring, plumbing, heating, and the fire exits needed repair. Also, Theresa Hall housed only 55 students and was hard to manage in terms of security, according to Berg.
Berg said plans for Theresa are intended to keep the traditional look of the rotunda. Long range plans for the campus will be "as convenient as they can be for students and faculty."
Theresa continued on page 12
