Renovation of Haines Hall forces relocation of facilities

By Daily Bruin Staff

Jan. 10, 1999 9:00 p.m.

Monday, January 11, 1999

Renovation of Haines Hall forces relocation of facilities

CONSTRUCTION: Safety of buildings in question, necessitates
costly work

By Hemesh Patel

Daily Bruin Contributor

As part of ongoing seismic repair efforts at UCLA, students and
faculty have been relocated to both Hershey and Murphy Halls as
Haines Hall has been closed for repairs. It is estimated Haines
will be closed for the next two years.

The closure of Haines is part of a larger project involving the
seismic renovation of the four original buildings on campus – Royce
Hall, Powell Library, Kinsey Hall and Haines Hall – which were
constructed in 1929.

According to John Sandbrook, the assistant provost of the
College of Letters and Sciences, the structural support of the
buildings were not up to current code. Powell Library and Royce
Hall have already been renovated; Kinsey Hall is scheduled to begin
restoration in 2003.

The seismic renovation program was initiated after the Loma
Prieta Earthquake of 1989, and just prior to the Northridge quake
in 1994.

According to Sandbrook, the state of California appropriated
approximately $15 million dollars for the Haines Hall project
alone. The renovation will include adding hard wire reinforcements
to provide better support, air conditioning and a computing
network.

In the meantime, the four academic departments formerly housed
by Haines – anthropology, sociology, African American studies and
Chicano studies – have been temporarily relocated.

The anthropology and sociology departments will be located in
Hershey, while African American studies and Chicano studies will be
in Murphy Hall.

According to Sandbrook, Hershey Hall will now be used for
additional classrooms and offices.

"In its 70-year history, Hershey Hall has never been used for
academic purposes," Sandbrook said.

In fact, Mira Hershey, the building’s namesake, provided funding
for the building’s construction with the express intent of building
a dorm on campus for female students.

Hershey Hall served as a residence hall – first only for girls,
later going co-ed – from 1931 until 1998. The former cafeteria
seating area and the recreation room have been divided into small
and medium classrooms seating 20 to 80 students each. Elevators
have also been added to the building.

Over the past 6 months, the university has spent $2 million to
upgrade Hershey Hall.

Over the holiday, each of the four departments moved out of
Haines Hall into their new locations.

According to Dr. Joan Silk, department chair of anthropology,
the move from Haines Hall to Hershey Hall went well.

"The administration has done a wonderful job making the
transition go smoothly," she said. GENEVIEVE LIANG/Daily Bruin
Senior Staff

Mover Rick Duarte pushes pieces of furniture into the truck for
his round in transferring equipment from Haines to Hershey
Hall.

Comments, feedback, problems?

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