David Lawrence Hall before and after
- Thread starter CrazyPaco
- Start date
$7 million renovation. 10 classrooms, lobby and the rest of the facility. Complete tech overall too.
Nationality Room #30 is almost done too (>$800K)...
That is Korea. Largely it was constructed in Korea and then shipped over. Official dedication is in November but it will probably be done before then.
After that, Finland and Iran are on deck. Philippines might be resurrected. Morocco is being discussed.
IMHO, the Cathedral and its Nationality Rooms are a hugely underrated tourist attraction. I've always said if it was located at Harvard, Yale, or similar it would be the most recognizable academic structure in the world. I don't think Pitt comes close to capitalizing on it as it should.
My son is 8 and we visited over the summer. He loved it even though he doesn't know these countries histories. It really is a must see attraction for visiting pittsburgh
We went August 9. Pamela's and the cathedral for my birthday. My youngest wanted to go again yesterday. The nationality rooms are incredible. The architecture is legendary. I never took advantage of that treasure when I was a student. I do now.
Clapp Hall also went through a major renovation. On the sports side, not counting the UPMC SPC, Pitt also redid the varsity walk, so all those names that were slowly being worn off should now be restored.
People have heard that Heinz Chapel went through a major HVAC retrofit to install air conditioning. There is a video out there made this past winter of a walk through of the upper sections of the chapel that few get to see, including going the whole way up to the steeple. If you are interested in Pitt architecture, it is definitely a must watch. Alas, they did not find the Spirt of Pitt Stadium up there (but it looks like they could have).
People have heard that Heinz Chapel went through a major HVAC retrofit to install air conditioning. There is a video out there made this past winter of a walk through of the upper sections of the chapel that few get to see, including going the whole way up to the steeple. If you are interested in Pitt architecture, it is definitely a must watch. Alas, they did not find the Spirt of Pitt Stadium up there (but it looks like they could have).
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Had my first ever Pitt class in DLH. Econ 80. Sat a few seats away from John Congemi.
Later on the weekend, watched Monty Python's "The Meaning Of Life" shown at midnight. Saw many other movies in there too. Some other memorable include other Python flicks, Rodney Dangerfield's "Back To School", Prince's "Purple Rain", and of course Rocky Horror (which I thought pretty much sucked).
Actually, I don't even remember that lecture hall being as nice as that photo ... so maybe it's been upgraded a few times in between since then. I seem to remember the giant Scrabble-letter-thingies on the wall though.
Thanks for the pics
Later on the weekend, watched Monty Python's "The Meaning Of Life" shown at midnight. Saw many other movies in there too. Some other memorable include other Python flicks, Rodney Dangerfield's "Back To School", Prince's "Purple Rain", and of course Rocky Horror (which I thought pretty much sucked).
Actually, I don't even remember that lecture hall being as nice as that photo ... so maybe it's been upgraded a few times in between since then. I seem to remember the giant Scrabble-letter-thingies on the wall though.
Thanks for the pics
I actually think this is the first renovation since it opened in 1968....at least the first substantial renovation. It probably has gotten a coat of paint now and then.
My 10 year old son loves to visit the nationality rooms. We've done it about a half dozen times. He's looking forward to the new rooms.
DT, you have to take him to the Holiday Open House in December. Pretty cool (free) festival with day-long cultural dance/music performances along with food/craft sale tables in the Commons Room. Most room committees participate (food/craft sales is a fundraiser for them...people may not know this but once a room is finished, the committees continue to raise money for scholarships to send Pitt students abroad to study in those countries). All the rooms are open and decorated for the holidays with a country-specific costumed interpreter present explaining the holiday traditions. Unfortunately it is only one day a year.
We actually did that last year, purely by accident, I should add. We planned to go and see the rooms decorated for the Holidays, and were fortunate that the day we chose was the Open House. We'll probably go again this coming year.
I've taken him to see many buildings, and we went to see Lawrence Hall a couple years back. We'll have to give it another go now knowing about the renovations.
CP - could you do me a favor and post the date when it's announced? I'm putting it in my calendar to call and ask, but if you hear first, please post! Thank you - can't wait.
Okay - so one of the funniest memories I have when I went to school (and I have a ton so that's saying a lot) was when one of my sorority sisters who was (and I'm sure still is) VERY well-endowed, would wait for the lights to dim before the weekend movie and would sashay across the front of the room, obviously outlined on the screen. To say it caused an uproar would be putting it mildly. So silly looking back but we would literally be dying in the back. Good times.
I think I'd like your sorority sister.
When I first got to Pitt, David Lawrence Hall was still named "Common Facilities", but the smart azzes referred to it as "Common Futilities". I remember watching the original "Night of the Living Dead" in that huge auditorium one weekend. It was awesome, if only because of the local references that are mentioned in the movie.
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Well she's a JD and DMD now, so she has done well. Sweetest girl ever born with a (a la Melanie Griffith in "Working Girl) "bod for sin".I think I'd like your Dorothy sister.
When I first got to Pitt, David Lawrence Hall was still named "Common Facilities", but the smart azzes referred to it as "Common Futilities". I remember watching the original "Night of the Living Dead" in that huge auditorium one weekend. It was awesome, if only because of the local references that are mentioned in the movie.
"Dorothy sister"??? I have to start monitoring my "auto-correct" more closely....
It's funny how some of our college friends turned-out. One of my fraternity brothers was one of the most happy-go-lucky, laid-back guys you'd ever meet. I ran into him at a youth soccer tournament years later, and he had become one of the most intense soccer-dads I've ever seen.
Indeed. I am lucky that I've been able to have sorority sisters "birth" my babies (true story when my youngest was born my husband on video was lamenting that we might start singing a sorority song as we both were crying), clean my teeth and offer good legal advice when necessary."Dorothy sister"??? I have to start monitoring my "auto-correct" more closely....
It's funny how some of our college friends turned-out. One of my fraternity brothers was one of the most happy-go-lucky, laid-back guys you'd ever meet. I ran into him at a youth soccer tournament years later, and he had become one of the most intense soccer-dads I've ever seen.
I'm with Panther Parrothead. Common facilities in my early years. I recall Shostak's Psych 80 in the main lecture hall. Multi media carnival
They should invite Jung Ho Kang to the formal opening. Seriously, it'd get much more press. He wouldn't have his World Series ring that quickly, but he'd still be a draw.
I was bowled over the first time I walked into the COL. Still gives me a thrill. My girls all loved the Nationality rooms. Will get the granddudes (3) there once they're a bit older....damage hazard, 'n 'at.
Not to nitpick, but I think you're referring to Shostak's Life Sciences 80 class.
What's so funny about that class is that when I tell people about it now, most people think that I'm exaggerating: no one believes it. Every week he'd focus on a different topic, and when the topic for the week was "sex", the room would be waaay over capacity: there would be people sitting on the floor in the aisles. The room was packed because there'd be students who showed-up for the class who weren't even enrolled in it. Where else could you see a multi-media extravaganza of porn movies on the walls?
For a while, his class was "self-evaluation", then the university changed it to pass/fail. Unbelievable.....
It was quite an experience to actually have classes in the Nationality Rooms. I didn't have that many in them, but when I did, it was special.
Wow do you have a good memory. All exactly true. Not bad for an "old guy". Skip PITT Class of 1974
The funny thing about the Nationality Rooms is that they are great to visit and look at, but many of them are not the best rooms to have a class for an entire semester.
It is usually the first week of December...early December nonetheless. Typically on a Sunday I believe.
Clapp hall renovation is ongoing. !st floor teaching labs are done and the difference is nothing shot of stunning
I remember staring at that Tetris design on the walls in boredom during freshman elective archeology lectures... The class seemed like an easy way to fill some elective credits, until I quickly realized I had no interest in the topic.
I also watched the movie 7even in that room for the first time as a freshman. "What's in the box?!!"
I also watched the movie 7even in that room for the first time as a freshman. "What's in the box?!!"
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