McCullough could close for fall semester renovations

Author: Anthony Adragna

Pending approval by the College's Board of Trustees at its May meeting, the McCullough Social Space and Mail Center will close for the fall 2008 semester, administrators confirmed.

Director for the Center of Campus Activities and Learning Doug Adams said The Grille would remain open during the work. If approved by the trustees, construction would commence Aug. 18 and last through the end of the semester.

Dean of the College Tim Spears said the need for renovation in McCullough leads the College to begin work there as soon as possible.

"These improvements are long overdue," Spears said. "The scope of the work, budget and construction details were not fully available when the administration and trustees last had the opportunity to consider this project. Once this information was available, the project was scheduled at the earliest time available."

While the Social Space will be the emphasis of the project, Spears said the project would require the other locations to close as well.

"In order to renovate the Social Space, which is the focus of the project, we need to access the infrastructure and mechanicals below the Social Space," he said.

Adams said the renovations to the Social Space would be substantial and would change the feel of the space.

"We are redoing the stage, removing and replacing the floor, installing a new sound and light system, installing new retractable seating and removing the balcony," he said. "The current capacity is 300. This new arrangement will be 400-plus improved seats. It will not be bleacher seating, but will be chairs. It should be a much nicer space. We want it to be an all-purpose, multi-function space. It will be more open and bright."

Various student groups have played a large role in the new designs for the space and have offered valuable aid to architects.

"The greatest driving force was from dance and performing groups," Adams said. "They've helped us with how it should look and work. They've been great."

Project Manager Mark Gleason said MiddXpress would close during the work.

Adams stressed the project will attempt to retain all of the services that are currently available in McCullough. Past plans to scrap The Grille TV lounge have been rejected.

The closing of the McCullough Social Space would pose challenges to many of the student groups on campus that rely on the space for practice, Adams said.

"Right now, we're meeting with all the campus space users," he said. "It's going to be a challenge to relocate everyone. We routinely do 60 events in the social space, and that's just on Friday and Saturday nights. We're looking to move as many as possible."

While the administration would make every effort to find spaces for every group impacted by construction, Adams acknowledged the system was not perfect.

"There are some things that we will not be able to reproduce for the fall semester," he said. "It's a short-term loss for a long-term gain."

Director of Riddim Kris Wilson '08 said moving practices because of the construction would be challenging to the group.

"That'll probably be the worst part of it, because it really helps to be able to practice in the venue where you'll perform," Wilson said. "Hopefully the administration will be amenable to helping us out. If the Brainerd Commons office moves to Hepburn or Stewart, then that'll free up a space that could work very well for rehearsals."

Co-leader of On Tap Kelly Bennion '10 also pointed out the organizational problems presented with the closing.

"While we enjoy the mirrors in rehearsal, losing around eight hours per week in McCullough puts us at a bind for where and when different choreographers can hold rehearsals," she said. " I would say the biggest problem, however, is that both dance groups are at a loss for where we will hold our fall shows. The success of the show is very much dependent on interaction between the performers and our audience, and it will be difficult to find another venue in which we can achieve the same atmosphere."

Bennion agrees the project holds benefits for all performing groups on campus.

"I think that the renovation of McCullough will be a blessing in the future," she said. "While it is definitely frustrating now, and probably most frustrating for those of us who feel like our second home is found dancing on the McCullough stage, the various student organizations can certainly cope without the Social Space for one semester. I think that the administration is doing a great job at trying to make our campus best fit our changing needs and desires."

Another service that will be impacted by the construction is the Mail Center, which will likely move if the trustees approve the project.

"The Mail Room will move to a modular office that will be set up on the lawn to the southeast of McCullough," Gleason said.

Spears noted the one of the aims of the project is to improve access to the spaces.

"An elevator will be installed to provide better access to the green attached to the Social Space," he said. "The Mail Room will be renovated so it is ADA accessible."

The McCullough Green, located outside of the building, could close to students next fall as part of the construction project.

"The area directly in front of the Social Space would be partially used for construction vehicles during the renovation," Adams said. "The area would be returned to its original stage when they are done with the interior work."

Spears acknowledged that the construction has the potential to affect student social life on campus.

"Taking the Social Space off-line for a term will certainly have an impact on campus activities, and we will have to make creative use of other facilities on campus to make up for its absence," Spears said.

In spite of the challenges, Adams remains optimistic that student social life will not suffer during the process and said that CCAL would investigate using other locations on campus more often.

"Social life will be different," he said. "I'm not concerned. We may look at spaces like the Bunker and ask them to open more than just one night a week. We don't think it will have any negative effect on us."