> Local News > Springfield > Springfield College celebrates refurbishing of two campus buildings
Springfield College celebrates refurbishing of two campus buildings
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The newly renovated Hickory Hall features an 80-seat lecture hall. Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs
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By G. Michael Dobbs
Managing Editor
SPRINGFIELD Springfield College is continued its $40 million renovation and updating of its campus with the formal opening of two refurbished buildings on Thursday.
President Richard Flynn and Dr. Jean Wyld, vice president of academic affairs, conducted the brief ceremony attended by students, faculty and staff.
Schoo-Bemis Science Center is the new name for the former Schoo Hall, while the former Bemis Hall is now called Hickory Hall. The new science building was designed to house all of the college's science programs under one roof with upgrades in the facilities and technology.
The renovations in the science building followed the guidelines of the National Science Foundation's Project Kaleidoscope, which encourages academic programs with hands-on investigative learning.
Hickory Hall is now a 17,000 square foot general classroom building, which features an 80-seat semi-circular lecture hall. The name is a "placeholder," according to Flynn, until a permanent name is decided.
Schoo-Bemis was open to students in February, while the renovations to Hickory Hall were completed this month. The college invested more than $6 million in Schoo-Bemis and $1.5 million in Hickory Hall.
Flynn and Wyld noted the college is currently working on improvements to its field house and a new wellness center. Next year the Fuller Arts Center will be renovated and the college will be constructing a new student union building.
Science Professors Peter Polito and Frank Torre, who are now teaching in the new science building, had nothing but praise for the facility.
"It's like night and day," Polito said.
Torre said the updating was a "total transformation from 1950s, '60s architecture to the 21st century."
Both men agreed the new facilities give the college a competitive edge in its science programs.
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> Local News > Springfield > Springfield College celebrates refurbishing of two campus buildings
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