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Union rebuilt as 'Main Quatro'

Date 4/6/2006 12:00 AM | Topic: Other

Luther College students returned to campus Monday to find new renovation plans hung from the barbed wire fence surrounding the Union.

In a new and far-reaching attempt to include students in planning for campus projects, administration took the advice of one student and consulted the latest boutique architectural firm of Peter Pennoyer in New York City. The final decision was made to scrap original Union plans for a continuation of an old campus theme while students were on break.

Changes were made after President Rick Torgerson overheard "some wise guy" complaining because the Student Activities Committee received so much office space in the new Union. The student is reported to have commented that the new Union plans would make the building "about as useful Main."

"And that's what really got the wheels turning," Torgerson said.

Main hosts the majority of Language, Communication and English classes on Luther's campus. It is home to many professors who relish in their daily trip, sometimes as many as five floors, in an elevator as old as campus itself.

"We love what Main means to students on campus," said Torgerson. "So we thought, why not capitalize on its success?"

"Why do you think we keep rebuilding it every time it burns down?" he added.

Luther administrators first contacted several architectural firms in Iowa, Minneapolis and Wisconsin to change the outside appearance. All wanted an updated, 21st century theme with all of the latest in technology, including wireless internet, surround sound, self-flushing toilets and personal transportation devices. Peter Pennoyer won the bid, however, pointing to the continuity of the new plans with the old buildings and the feng shui ambience of bringing the old structure feel to the new building.

Some of the other innovations will be the lack of elevators in the new building. Apparently, this is part of the firm's approach to promoting health awareness. Also, there will be random numbering of floors and offices to help promote and strengthen the use of short-term memory, something the firm saw as prevalent during midterms week when they toured the campus.

Wise guy Drew Rindfleisch ('07) is not happy about the changes.

"In no way did I mean Main is well organized or even nice to look at," Rindfleisch said. "Frankly, the misinterpretation of my passive-aggressive and obviously snotty remark is infuriating."

Other students were more receptive to the new plans, however.

"We are surprised and pleased with the changes," said Hannah Searle ('06). "Many of the other buildings, including Towers, could do with a similar makeover."

This feeling was echoed by a surprisingly large number of students, most of whom are either seniors or not returning next year for personal reasons.

"Due to the positive feedback we have gotten so far on these changes, as we look to our next project in Valders, we expect to retain Peter Pennoyer for that project," Torgerson said.

"All in all, we are very pleased."

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Kate "Oscar" Myers

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