Purdue News
Purdue News
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July 31, 2001 'Sneak peek' scheduled for renovated rooms in Cary QuadrangleWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Students returning to the east wing of Cary Quadrangle will be "living larger" this fall. To celebrate the completed $9.8 million renovation of the residence hall wing, Cary Quadrangle staff will conduct an open house Wednesday (8/8) for administrators, Greater Lafayette public officials and other invited guests. Students will move in mid-August. The public will have a chance to tour the newly renovated wing Oct. 27 before the Homecoming game.
During Wednesday's tour, guests will see firsthand how the 8 1/2-by -14-feet "small double" rooms have been remodeled into 16-by-18 air-conditioned rooms with semi-private baths and walk-in closets. Each room, decorated in earth tones, will accommodate two male upperclassmen, while the baths are shared by four students. The remodeled rooms also feature built-in dressers, bookshelves and custom-made computer desks, in addition to new beds. Cary Quadrangle manager Tom Paczolt says Purdue did its homework to make sure students will have the most practical, yet comfortable, accommodations possible. "We conducted a number of focus groups and other meetings with students," Paczolt says. "We incorporated the good portion of things from our Hillenbrand Hall renovation along with new ideas." In Hillenbrand Residence Hall, for instance, a significant amount of square footage was used to accommodate the room entrance and two closet doors. For the Cary Quadrangle project, this observation led to walk-in closets, in which the dressers and bookshelves are housed to open up more floor space.
Even the electrical outlets are generous. Unrenovated rooms have 15 to 20 amps of power, Paczolt says. Each new suite will have 100 amps. "You get as much power coming into this suite as you have in the average home," says Paczolt. "We should never have another blown fuse." Cultural issues also were taken into consideration. A support beam in the closets, for instance, also serves as a divider between rods for hanging clothes. "Some cultures don't permit a person's clothing to touch another person's clothing," Paczolt says. "With the divider, we meet support for the closet and meet each person's cultural needs." In addition to the new suites, the renovation also includes a remodeled basement featuring a new lounge, laundry room, music room, computer room, rest rooms, vending area and kitchen for the "All-American" dining room where athletes eat. Each of these rooms has its own unique feature. The laundry room, for instance, offers two industrial-sized washing machines and dryers. This permits students to wash bulky items like comforters, or, as Paczolt jokes, "all their laundry in one load." The music room will house a baby grand piano, while the lounge will offer pool, pingpong and foosball tables, in addition to a 50-inch TV. The computer room will feature 12 work stations with IBM-compatible computers. An ample use of oak trim is noticeable throughout the building, along with the earth tones. "We tried to maintain the traditional look and feel of the building," Paczolt says "We didn't want to make it look like a hotel. We used colors more traditional to the late 20s era to maintain that classic, gothic, collegiate feel that Cary is known for." Future renovations are planned for the northeast wing (to be completed by July 2002) and the west wing (July 2003). The entire project, including new furniture, painting and repairs for the southeast, southwest and northwest wings will cost $43.5 million. When the project is complete, Cary Quadrangle will accommodate 1,230 students compared to the current occupancy of 1,555 students. To commemorate the renovations, each resident will receive a replica of a "Cary Quad" pennant presented to the first group of men who moved into the hall in 1928. Paczolt, who lived in Cary Quadrangle as a student from 1982-1985, says the entire project has been "a dream come true." "I think the students will be very pleased with what they see, " Paczolt says. Source: Tom Paczolt, (765) 494-2472 tpaczolt@purdue.edu Writer: Marydell Forbes, (765) 496-7704, mforbes@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu PHOTO CAPTIONS: The average remodeled suite in Cary Quadrangle's east wing features walk-in closets with built-in dressers. Open houses to show off the $7.8 million renovation project will take place on Wednesday (8/1) and on Oct. 27 during Homecoming Weekend. A publication-quality photograph is available at the News Service Web site and at the ftp site. Photo ID: Caryquadeast.render
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