Under the Purple Hard Hat

It is interesting. I have been going in and out of Meier Hall since it was just a hole in the ground and was known as "the new dorm." I was there for the big pour and the major beams being put in to support the bulk of the 2nd and 3rd floor. I have become accustomed to seeing its progression to the point where i need to not be in the building everyday because i don't see what has changed. So last week I took my a Co-Worker slash EC alum into Meier Hall. Her excitement and awe of the building has helped me to remember what it was like to see something with new eyes. Where I simply pass by a room and snap a few photos she wanted to go into every room and see everything asking questions all along the way.

Many of the walls are up all the scaffolding is down and the building is beginning to look like something I hadn't expected. I have all of the digital renderings from the architect but until you see it in person it doesn't compare.

I have been neglecting my duties and for that I apologize. It has been a busy year so far with a Mountain Day several Open Houses as well as a trustee weekend and a Hoops Hysteria thrown in for good measure. Still the Meier Hall moves on. The scaffolding on the west and south wing is all down and bathroom walls are going up. The grotesques are now up as well so you can see them up on the west side looking down on all the people passing by. I will be adding new interior shots the the page later this week for you to see the fireplaces and bathrooms which are almost finished.

Scafolding is coming down and windows are going in. If you check out the photos you can see what is really happening. I know it may seem dramatic but that scafolding came down quickly.

As you may know the Lucky Class of 2013 has arrived on campus. So they have the privilage of seeing Meier Hall evolve and unveil first hand.

I have been on vacation so updates were kind of hard to make. In returning though I have had the chance to see a great deal done. Most of the facade is up and finished minus the front entrance and the main lounge windows. I have been trying to find out when we can see more of the grotesques that will be going up and hope to be able to get those images to you. Very soon we will be starting on the interior work as soon as the rest of the heating and electical work is done. It is nice to be able to walk up and down real stairs now and not the scafolding that was set up in the elevator shaft. I have pictures of the elevator shaft now which i think ar really cool.

While i have not yet seen this I do believe it will happen. The south side brick and limestone work is coming along very nicely. Many of the widows have gone in as well. You can walk up and down hallway were there used to be wide open spaces. It is begining to feel more and more like an actual dorm where before the open spaces made you think it could be anything.

One of my new favorite things to be added it the slate roof. They just aren't that common any more and it is nice to see it go on. It gives Meier Hall a classic look instantly.

I have added a large number of photos to the flickr group. Remember this is an open group so if you have any photos that you would like to add to it feel free.

Let me guess, you thought I went missing? Nope still here and sill kicking. With all the prep that has gone on these past few weeks for both commencement and reunion life has been a bit crazy. Now we have Summer registration 1 coming up this weekend. so the work never ends.

The Elmira College Board of Trustees announced today at the cornerstone-laying ceremony that the College’s new dorm will be named for Dr. Thomas Keith Meier, the Twelfth President of Elmira College. Meier Hall is slated to open the autumn of 2010.

Dr. Meier, the second-longest serving President of Elmira College, has been a College President for twenty-nine years and is in his twenty-second year as President of Elmira College.

“It is particularly fitting that a student-centered building is named for Tom Meier. His first priority is to provide the best collegiate experience to every Elmira College student,” said Robert Morris, Chairman of the Elmira College Board of Trustees. “I am very happy that we could honor Tom in this way. He and his wife Mila have dedicated themselves to serving the students of Elmira College.”

He earned the Ph.D. in English Literature from Columbia University and has an MBA from Harvard Business School. When he was in college at the University of Texas, he was an intercollegiate athlete and honor student, having been elected to Phi Beta Kappa.

In addition to six dozen scholarly articles and book reviews, Dr. Meier has published a book on Daniel Defoe, the author of Robinson Crusoe.

He, along with his wife, Dr. Mila Meier, is very active and visible on the Elmira College campus and in the greater community. They can be seen at virtually all of the performing arts events, athletic contests, and other student activities on campus. He encourages administrators to volunteer as advisors to student clubs, and he leads by example as Co-Advisor of the College Ski Club. Previously, the Elmira College Alumni Association awarded him the Medal of Merit and the Board of Trustees honored him with the title of Simeon Benjamin Professor of English Literature.

It is that time of year again when we must say good bye and best wishes to another class. I would like to offer my best wishes to all members of the Class of 2009.
 
An update on the construction site.
The exterior masonry is almost done and the roof is going on. I have been taking photos of the new dorm for a little over a year now and am in awe of the incridible strides that have been made. The sheer size of the project continues to keep me interested. When ever anyone asks about it I am always willing to tell. 

Keep an eye out to the blog tomorrow I am going to be placing a video of the new dorm up showing the interior as well as exterior. I might even throw in an interview or two. Who knows!

If you have ever been on campus you will see these little guys. I think he needs a hard hat.

Yesterday was the topping off ceremony. The final piece of steel was put in place and flags were raised over the new dorm. I am going to find out some facts from the guys but right now i do know it is somewhere in the realm of 3000 square feet of cement has been poured. I am going to see how much steel has been erected. Now the interior masonry and structural walls need to be finished and soon the exterior masonry will be going up. It will be nice to see the dorm have some red brick on it. Photos are up of the flag ceremony and from this past week.

Everything is coming along rather nicely at the new dorm. The roof supports are going up and floors are being poured on the upper levels. Most of the masonry for the south end of the dorm is up. If you look through the photos you can clearly make out what is the layout for a future dorm room.



There is also one of the coolest looking cranes on the site now that is being used to put the roof supports in place. The counter weights are at the base crane and exposed to for me to see. My favorite part about it is the weight of each is chiseled out of the stone.

Student blogs are now up! WAHOO!!! You can see them here. This page is a landing page to student blogs as well as this one and addmissions blog. We are hoping to add more as the next school year comes around maybe a few from alumni or I am hoping to get the college historian writing and posting images of the history of campus for all to see as well.

On the new dorm fron it is impossible to see from the outside but they have poured the entire first floor as well as the south end of the second, third and fourth. They also have a lot of the masonry for the exterior wals as well as for the entrances begun. Fire proofing has gone up as well as the start of the peaked roof on the south end of the building.

I know I am not alone when I say I can't wait for the frigid cold and wind to stop. Right now all of the scafolding around the outside of the building (except for in a few places) is covered in plastic to keep the guys warm as well as safe from some pretty heavy wind gusts.

It is fun to talk to people on campus and get their opinion of the construction going on. Many offer their sympathies to the workers in this cold weather. Others are excited and curious. Everyone says that it is just plain cool, especially seeing the workers walking the beams up on the fourth floor. I can say from first hand experience that viewing the campus from that high of a point is rather exhilarating. To see the campus from a view point that no other person has is absolutely amazing. There is something very freeing about being that high up and having no walls or barriers around you and just feeling the wind blowing by.

Getting back the ones who talk about the freezing cold. Now don't miss understand it is cold but if you go inside of the building there are heaters pumping out enough heat that you can work in just a short sleeve shirt and be very comfortable. Check out the photos and see what I mean. I will have a photo update coming soon for all to see as well.

Also a few weeks ago I mentioned that student blogs were coming. I am here to confirm we recently had a meeting with students and administrators and have them set up. So keep an eye on the Elmira College website for an update.

I hope everyone's holiday was great.

Based on the amount of work that has been completed on the new dorm you would think that the guys over there haven't taken a break in quite a while. They are creeping towards the heavens with their iron and stone. Ceilings are up or you could say floors are being laid. I am not sure which is which when referring to the second and third floors.

Lime stone is being brought in daily in preparation for future exterior work. It is bitterly cold out as of late and any photos i take will be with frigid little hands so take heart your intrepid reporter will attempt to keep you up to date as we move ever forward in dorm construction on Elmira College campus.