UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 23, Page 6
March 9, 1995
State of the art; Taylor Hall gets major facelift, new tenants

     Taylor Hall has been transformed into a state-of-the-art art
facility. Entering the building today, it is difficult to visualize
its past when it housed a shooting range for the ROTC, a swimming pool
and indoor track.
     The floor space has been expanded by 4,000 square feet with
construction of a mezzanine over the main floor, and studios have been
specifically designed for painting, drawing, illustration, photography
and fiber art, according to Nasrin Parvizi, assistant director for
design in the Facilities, Planning and Construction Department.
     New windows with glass fan lights have replaced glass block
windows and bricked fans, enhancing both the exterior and interior of
the building. Interior brick walls are painted, and ducts are not
enclosed to permit higher ceilings, giving the building a functional
yet aesthetically pleasing look.
     New heating, air conditioning, electrical, venting and plumbing
systems have been installed to meet safety requirements and the needs
of the department. Two staircases and an elevator also have been
installed. The building is now fully handicapped accessible.
     "We are really excited about the facility and have been involved
in its planning since the beginning," said Martha Carothers, art
chairperson, who has documented the renovation with her camera.
     On the first floor and mezzanine, new skylights, windows and
custom lighting permit light to stream into the building, providing
well-lit studios and classrooms for painting, illustration and
drawing.
     A fibers studio is being set up with looms in one area and tools
of the art in another area, including, burners, vats, a washer, a
dryer and other equipment that meets modern standards.
     Photography classrooms and darkrooms, which are light-proof and
vented for chemicals, are housed in the lower floor.
     Another room will house computers for the department.
     In addition to classroom studios, there are smaller studios for
upperclass and graduate students to share.
     The project cost is $2 million. Chuck Dobbs was the design
manager and Fran Cutrona the construction manager of the project. The
architect was Moeckel Carbonell Associates, and the renovation was
carried out by Di Sabatino Construction Co.
     This summer, the planned renovation will begin on Recitation Hall
and Recitation Hall Annex, and some of the activities of the art
department will be on the move again to temporary quarters on Delaware
Avenue.
     According to Carothers, it's worth the inconvenience, and
students are enthusiastic about the changes and will be better served
by the modernized facilities.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure