Chapman Hall will undergo its first major renovation since 1939 to make the building more user friendly.
The Chapman Hall renovation starts in December 2016. Students and faculty of the Robert D. Clark Honors College will relocate throughout the summer of 2016. a The project’s intent is to make Chapman a place to better support honors students, says Caitlyn Kari, Robert D. Clark director of communications.
“We want to make the building more user friendly and integrate the flow of the building for all who use it,” said Kari.
Chapman’s renovation will be completed in December 2017. It’s the Hall’s first major change from its original construction in 1939 when it held the UO bookstore and humanities department, according to the Campus Planning and Design website.
The outdated inside will take up a majority of the repairs, the outside of the building will remain intact because of its historical significance, said Kari.
“The building will be completely gutted and reformed to accommodate the small, seminar style classes that the Honors College students take, as well as integrate more modern technology updates,” said Kari.
Because Chapman is the only specific CHC building, its vision is to provide an accessible place for honors students to comfortably work on their thesis and a have friendly environment to interact with professors.
Although the renovation will inconvenience students for a short period of time, some students say the process will be a positive change to the entire program
“I think an important point of this renovation is to give the honors college a specific identity by making it more connected to the other floors,” Danae Burck, a senior honors architecture major who also serves on the renovation user group said. “I know this is going to open up many opportunities for students and I am glad to be involved the process,” said Burck.
Project manager Gene Mowery said that the user group is an important part of the planning process because of the involvement of honors students.
“We really value students interpretations. They essentially choose the client and are the ones who interview and choose an architect for the project,” said Mowery. He said that the architect has been selected, but the designs are still in the early stages and that the general layout will be finalized on the user group meeting Friday May 13.
Because the renovation will cause Chapman Hall to be out of use for the duration of the year, all honors college classes will be moved to McArthur Court. The temporary honors college location will replicate Chapman Hall’s current amenities that include: a library, study spaces, faculty office and kitchenette.
“We went through quite an extensive process when looking at available classroom spaces. Mac Court was the best option for us because it maintains the closeness on campus for CHC students,” said Kari. The transition to Mac court will still provide new students with the same experience and tuition price as Chapman undergoes its transition, said Kari.
Mowery said that the designs are still in the early stages and that the general layout will be finalized at the user group meeting Friday, May 13.
On June 17 Chapman Hall will host a ground breaking ceremony. Donors and State Legislatures are invited along with faculty and staff to thank them for their contributions to the renovation.