Track Alter Hall progress by viewing the AlterCam.
Leap Day 2008
February 29th, 2008 ( Permalink )On this one-every-four year-occasion, and before we jump into March, I thought we should get a snapshot of progress on the outside the building. Behind the white sheathing on the north side of Alter, masons are laying a brick facade. Photo courtesy of Betsy Manning.
Stairway to Somewhere
February 28th, 2008 ( Permalink )One of Alter Hall’s most visible interior architectural features is the “free-floating” 1st floor lounge connected by a dramatic curving staircase to the floor below. Here you see an artist’s rendering of the lounge and stairway, and to the right, the actual circular stairway being installed now.
A Snowy Day in February
February 22nd, 2008 ( Permalink )Winter hasn’t been as severe as it could be thus far, but I’m not complaining. Work continues on the exterior of Alter Hall. In this view from Tuttleman Leaning Center looking southwest, you can see the scaffolding from which workers apply exterior sheathing and brick work. It may be a while before we see the facade on Montgomery Avenue. It is hidden behind red netting to help retain warmth for masonry work.
Steam Pipe Lowered
February 18th, 2008 ( Permalink )I thought it was time for another video clip. Here workmen lower a section of steam pipe into the mechanical room of Alter Hall on the lower level.
Steam Pipe from John DeAngelo on Vimeo.
Views from Inside Alter
February 6th, 2008 ( Permalink )Even though the outside walls are not yet finished, you can get a pretty good idea of what things will look like when Alter is completed. Below is a view from the 3rd floor Robert Fox Boardroom overlooking Liacouras Walk toward Shusterman Hall.
Here is another from 4th floor southeast corner looking toward the Tuttleman Learning Center. Diana Breslin Knudsen and Michael Murtha are getting a little too close to the edge for my comfort.
Of course, not every office can have a primo view … someone has to look back at the roof of Speakman Hall, right? Maybe we can build a green space there 
Here is a view of the framed breakout rooms on the 2nd floor. Our students will love these and the congregating space immediately outside them.
Exterior Work Begins
January 28th, 2008 ( Permalink )For the past several weeks workmen have been erecting scaffolding on the Liacouras Walk and Montgomery Avenue sides of Alter Hall. In addition to the “penthouse” shrouded in plywood at the top of the building, the entire 6th floor has been encased in plastic sheeting to keep temperatures moderate enought to spray fireproofing material on metal beams.
You can also begin to see where brick work will appear between window walls, now covered in yellow sheathing or insulation.
Alter Hall Construction Timelapse Video
January 14th, 2008 ( Permalink )
View the full video here.
Speakman Transformation
January 7th, 2008 ( Permalink )While Alter Hall progresses daily, there is a ton of work being done inside Speakman Hall to modernize, brighten, and marry the forty-year-old four level building to the eight level Alter Hall. Workmen are taking advantage of the four week break between semesters to completely transform the hallways of Speakman. I have already shown you glimpses of the new ceilings and lights, but in the two views below you can see how much brighter and contemporary Speakman will look when completed. While the two corridors aren’t an exact match, you can clearly see how both ceilings and walls have changed.
Left: Old Hallway - Right: New Hallway with Limestone Block Treatment
Another project underway is the introduction of a barrel-vaulted ceiling in the main Speakman corridor. While much work remains to be done, below you can see the domed ceiling that will replace the original flat, unlighted ceiling. The concrete side walls will be treated with the same limestone coating as seen above, but the original Tyler School of Art murals (hidden behind plastic sheeting) will be preserved.
Alter Hall Shines at Christmas
December 13th, 2007 ( Permalink )Last week as I walked across Ritter Hall plaza between Montgomery and Cecil B. Moore Avenues, I was struck by work lights twinkling through the leafless trees framed against the silhouette of Alter Hall. I returned with my camera moments later to see if I could capture the moment, but alas, the camera couldn’t provide the proper degree of sparkle to reflect what I had seen. What do I when my view of life doesn’t square with reality? I change reality. So with the assistance of Jodi Weisberg and some Photoshop tools, we’ve re-created the vision I saw that my normally trusty camera wouldn’t allow. After all, appearance is everything. Right?
Meanwhile, on the outside …
December 12th, 2007 ( Permalink )Scaffolding has been rising on Liacouras Walk to the fourth level.
Expect to see sheathing going up soon, followed by brick work in the new year.
John DeAngelo