Accessibility Assessment
The Class of 2002 Unsung Founders Memorial has been prominently installed on the McCorkle Place lawn in front of the Alumni Building. This memorial was created by artist Do-Ho Suh and honors those men and women of color - enslaved and free - who helped build the Carolina we all know and love. Installed on McCorkle Place on May 11, 2005, it features a stone tabletop supported by 300 bronze figurines.
Alumni Hall continues to house Anthropology, Research Laboratories of Anthropology (earlier known as Archeology Laboratories), and the Curriculum in American and Afro-American Studies.
Repairs to flashing, gutters, downspouts and construction of a new scuttle hole for access to the roof were completed for Alumni Hall at a cost of $11,181, as part of a project for deferred and preventive maintenance projects in several buildings. Work was performed by the Physical Plant.
A project which was first requested in 1971 and approved in 1973, provided funds for renovations in several buildings. The renovation work in Alumni included air conditioning; improved heating system; new acoustical tile lay-in ceilings; new light fixtures in certain areas; upgrading electrical service; waterproofing of exterior walls and rear wall treated with silicone; patching and repairing existing walls; patching or replacing existing vinyl asbestos floor tile with matching tile; replacing or adding ceramic tile in toilet rooms, etc.; replacement of windows and doors, new hardware and keying system, security screens on all first floor windows (except where they already existed); some repartitioning of spaces, and other items to enhance the academic program of the Department of Anthropology and the Archeology Laboratories; and, painting of the building, etc. Light-free venetian blinds and a rostrum in 404 were added from local funds. While the renovation was underway, Archeology Laboratories moved back to Person Hall to stay until the renovation was completed in 1974. Anthropology was temporarily housed in Steele. Source of Funds and Cost: 1973 Legislative Appropriation; Final Cost $527,407 (ER) Architect: Smith/Mills Architects Contractors: General: Nello Teer Company; Plumbing: Condor Mechanical Contractors; HVAC: Comfort Engineers; Electrical: Davie Electric Company (ER)
The Department of Sociology moved from Alumni Hall to newly completed Hamilton Hall. Anthropology, which had been located in Alumni for some time, expanded into vacated space on the second and third floors; a suite of offices on the fourth floor was occupied by Population Anthropology, which had been located in the Population Center space at University Square. The Health Services Evaluation Program occupied a suite of offices on the fourth floor of Alumni Hall for a short time. The Archeology Laboratories moved from Person Hall to the first floor of Alumni Hall. Physical Plant did some renovation work at a cost of approximately $28,300. The work involved installation in certain areas of new acoustical ceilings and lighting, chalkboards, bookcases, venetian blinds in certain rooms, a darkroom, new floor tile on the fourth floor for Anthropology, and eight air-conditioning units were purchased. For the Archeology Research Laboratories, the work involved constructing a new darkroom and processing room, installing a new ceiling, lighting, and floor tile in rooms 201B and 201C, miscellaneous cabinet work in rooms 106A and 106B, installing security bars in rooms 108 and 109, and re-keying 26 locks, painting where necessary, etc.
Interior painting was completed in Alumni Hall.
The Red Cross and County Welfare Department Offices vacated space in Alumni between 1953 and 1956, and the Departments of Sociology and City and Regional Planning, along with the School of Social Work , were housed there in 1956. (WML)
A note in the Chancellor's Buildings and Grounds Committee files indicated that the first floor of Alumni was occupied by the Red Cross Office, County Welfare Department, and the School of Social Work .
The Department of City and Regional Planning was established in about 1946 and was, I believe, housed in Alumni Hall for some years.
"Alumni Hall was remodeled and an extra half-story added. Its interior structure was largely of wood, and at this time was gutted and the interior was reconstructed according to modern standards." (ASL) According to the drawings, the fourth floor contained: two rooms labeled "Archives," a very large Social Science Exhibit Room, a large Social Room, a kitchenette, and two storage rooms for the Department of Sociology. Source of Funds and Cost: U.S. Government Grant and Legislative Appropriation $437,000 (for several projects); Cost for Alumni Hall $92,065 (ASL) Gross Area: 32,020 square feet Architect: Atwood and Weeks Contractor: Muirhead Construction Company (ASL)
The UNC Press made a plea for a new fireproof building.
Building Department records show that work performed in Alumni amounted to $8,464.88. (ASL)
The UNC Press Offices, except that of the Director, moved to first floor Alumni Hall from Hill Hall. The Director remained in Carnegie Library (now Hill) because the Director of the Press was also University Librarian. (LRW)
The Legislature appropriated $25,000 for "Alumni to be changed to a classroom building."
The Institute for Research in Social Science was established by the Laura Spellman Rockefeller Memorial, and was located in Alumni Hall. (LRW)
Drafting rooms were opened in Alumni Hall; H. P. Alan Montgomery and H. D. Carter were employed as resident architect and head of the drafting department, respectively, for the University, and the entire personnel and facilities of the Atwood organization were made available where they could be consulted at all stages of planning and construction. The organization also kept in constant contact with Mr. W. M. Kendall (of McKim, Mead, and White), who came to Chapel Hill when his personal presence was desired. Through this extremely helpful relationship, the Atwood organization assumed responsibility for easy consultation with both the University and the consulting architect in working out a comprehensive general plan; for laying out an appropriate sequence of operations; for designing structures and working up detailed plans and specifications; for submitting plans to the consulting architect; for receiving bids and letting contracts; for purchasing materials and equipment not secured by the contractor; for seeing that bonds ensuring the carrying out of contracts were furnished when required; for approving bills for payment; for laying out individual buildings on the ground; for inspecting construction; and for furnishing periodic reports covering the progress of the work. As a result, the Building Committee was left free to give consideration to the overall operations, and at the same time to review plans and construction at any stage in individual buildings. The financial arrangement was also such that it contributed to economical expenditure of all funds available for permanent improvements. The overall fee, including fees for the consulting architect, was 5 per cent, based upon the condition that the total volume of work would amount to approximately $700,000 per year but not less than $500,000. The contract was subject to renewal annually, with monthly reports and annual summaries by means of which the Trustees could keep informed at all times. The final step was the selection and employment, on June 14, 1921, by the full Board of Trustees of T. C. Thompson and Brothers, of Charlotte , as contractor. This ensured the provision of one labor force instead of several, and the orderly execution of the contract for all undertakings, including the building of a labor camp, the construction of a spur railroad track from Carrboro to the campus, and the erection of all buildings authorized by the Building Committee, the amount of the initial contract being $1,100,000. Work started promptly on the labor camp and spur railway track in June 1921. It was carried on continuously until 1930 when the main program, inaugurated in 1921 and including dormitories, classrooms, and other buildings, was largely completed. (LRW)
Buildings Department records show that work performed for Alumni Hall amounted to $9,859.69 (ASL)
The Department of Sociology was established (LRW), and I believe it was housed in Alumni Hall at that time and until 1972 when Hamilton Hall was completed.
When the Department of Physics moved to Alumni Building from South Building, $5,000 was spent for "fitting up" five rooms on the first floor (earlier called basement). Physics apparently remained in Alumni until Phillips Hall was completed in 1920. (AH)
The cornerstone for Alumni Hall reads: Alumni Building Erected June 1, 1898 / Edwin Alderman / Julian S. Carr / Locke Craig / John W. Fries Building Committee / Richard H. Lewis appointed by Francis D. Winston Thomas S. Kenan, President Alumni Association / Frank P. Milburn, Architect / Zachary & Zachary, Contractors The building was completed in 1901. The building contained offices for the president and other university officials on the first floor, and lecture rooms and laboratories on the other floors. (AH) Source of Funds and Cost: Alumni subscriptions, loan from Chair of History Fund, and loan from University general funds $36,000 (ASL); Henderson says $39,000 Gross Area: 28,000 square feet approximately Architect: Frank P. Milburn Builder: Zachary & Zachary (AH)