Baumann-Eberhardt

[Billikenbooster]

Sat nite spoke to the daughter of Ed McCauley era Billiken bball player. States she was at the ground breaking for the new facility, and talking to folks got the idea that the old West Pine gym was coming down after the arena goes up.

This is counter to what I had heard previously. Anyone have any word on this? Thought it was on the roster of old buildings and could not be torn down without much difficulty.

mhg

[DoctorB]

I have heard several options for this site. The building could be completely gutted and renovated, keeping the outside intact. Or, I have heard that it could be imploded and used for a much larger, desperately needed large space for classrooms/offices, and/or labs.

[Box and Won]

I would love to see at least the front facade saved - it would make for a very attractive entrance to a new building behind it. Hopefully, if something new is built, it would also replace the swimming pools - I like chicks in bikinis as much as the next guy, but it really is a waste of prime space at the heart of the campus.

I'd also like to see the university go retro with its designs for any new classroom space - the Cook Hall addition has made the b-school the most impressive building on campus. Why not build new buildings in a similar style to give the campus a little more architectural cohesiveness?

[DoctorB]

retro is in--I believe they will do that--i.e. designing any future buildings to fit in with the historic look.

those pools are pretty dumb, I agree.

word is that the new head librarian is hoping to raise miliions for library renovation, which it badly needs. stay tuned. The library, along with other unfortunate design decisions of the 60s-70s era like the law school, sticks out like sore thumbs.

ps--you are wrong about Cook, though it is terrific. I would say that, by far, the most impressive and coolest building on campus is Cupples House. Thank the Lord they did not raze it, as some suggested (believe it or not)!

(And the College Church and DuBourg are probably ahead of Cook too! St. Louis has some absolutely marvelous old churches, and St. FX is one of the 4 or 5 best)

[Box and Won]

I agree with you on Cupples/College Church/DuBourg, I was thinking more in terms of academic buildings. I was/am kind of disappointed with the Parks College building, but I can see where they would want to go with a modern look for a structure like that. Now if we could just do something with the cluster of buildings around Kelly Auditorium...

I would be torn on a wide-scale library renovation. I'd love to see the exterior get a total facelift, but personally, I love the interior, which is really well-designed (I'm a fan of mid-century architecture, as long as it's well-done). Unfortunately, it probably appears dated to prospective students, who are the people we really need to impress.

Check out this view of our library from an architecture blogger:

http://tobybelt.blogspot.com/2006/05/pius-...university.html

[cheeseman]

The problem with West Pine is its location. It is in the middle of the campus thus creating a poor flow of the open campus atmosphere. Anything that would be built in its place needs to be pushed back and taken up. I am not sure the building can be easily torn down, it is on the National Historic Registry so you can do what you want inside but can not change the outside. There is a way to get a building off the list but I am sure that is not an easy task.

[billikenmetz]

Yeah, the Mod-Quad over by Shannon and Monsanto are an eyesore. If every building at SLU had the Cook Look, it would be nice. Keep the old facade and make a new dorm.

[GOSLU68]

much of a preservationist; just west of the law school there were matching stone buildings; he tore one down for a parking lot area and

the row houses (high on the hill across from Humphreys where Ussleman's provided our baloney sandwiches before the student union) were razed for grass and Serra sculpture type metal; hopefully thery are smart enough to not lose the grassy area with the swimming pools and chicks; why go to a school that is all concrete and sidewalks. We should vote before removing any swimming pools. In 1968 our legacy was

asking for swimming pools and grass we used to have to park in front of the library and eat our lunches on the hoods of the cars. This was

a real city school back then

[tseugnekillib]

with Fr. Biondi, you vote with your wallet. Buck-up or step aside!

[GOSLU68]

hopefully they do something in good taste like Cook; later posters replied they would get rid of the pools; in 1968 when we were all streets and concrete and saw the fine arts building and school torn

down; we voted for swimming pools; some of you may not remember the days of lunches on car hoods in front of the library; because we did not even have a student union or a cafeteria. Biondi is the patron saint of landscapers but he has town down one of the twin stone buildings west of the law school; built the law school; replaced the historic row houses across from Humphreys with grass and metal "sculptures" I graduated from A&S and have an MBA from SLU but we need

fine arts and performing arts escpecially with our location close to the Fox, Midtown, Symphony, Keil Opera house; I, too, could accept the modern utiltarian look of the Parks-engineering translocation; however we have a chance to become what Wash U was a better looking campus in the city-instead of a cold city college with little atmosphere-kids do love grass and pools.