Allegheny College announced late last month a $14 million donation from three alumni families, including a $5 million gift from the Tillotson family designated for Quigley Hall. This was the latest in a series of other large gifts from alumni families. The money designated for Quigley will be used for the “modernization of Quigley Hall, transforming it into a state-of-the-art space that reflects the stellar programming and faculty” according to the College’s announcement. It feels like there’s news about gifts and renovations all the time now. In February, Allegheny announced $21 million in gifts, $10 million of which is designated for renovating Brooks Hall. Reis Hall is currently undergoing its $2 million dollar renovation, and the newly-renovated Bentley is only about two years old. This is exciting news! Seeing that people care about Allegheny and its students and are investing in its future is cause for celebration.
However, with all the construction on campus concerns will arise. Brooks is a dining and residential hall— where will students eat and live? And what effect will it have on Walker and the students that will live there? My concerns about Quigley are more trivial than access to basic needs. The language of modernization — which was also used in the Brooks Hall announcement — concerns me because it communicates a move toward boring, cold and gray aesthetics. My only request with the renovation is this. KEEP QUIGLEY COOL! Quigley was built in 1953; it looks and feels like it. The mid-century style immediately envelops you as you’re welcomed by the building’s warmth. Right now Quigley has some of the most interesting architectural features on campus that should be preserved. A hallmark of mid-century modern design is the combination of multiple building materials and Quigley executes that well. The glass block wall is such an iconic feature of the building that people can’t help but notice when they first walk in. It contrasts all the red brick beautifully and adds so much visual interest to the building. The glass blocks are also an architectural feature particular to this region’s industrial history. Pittsburgh was the center of the US glass industry from the 1840s to the 1950s and produced countless glass blocks. The wood paneling in the auditorium and through the building makes the building feel intimate and welcoming. And don’t even get me started on the circle windows and door handles! It’s so much fun, and is another feature that makes Quigley special. Surrounded by greenery, the building is fairly inconspicuous from the outside, however the building is still gorgeous. The large windows and clean lines — also common features of mid-century modern design — are striking. The building has so much character that shouldn’t be removed.
The building definitely needs updating, no question about that. It lacks accessibility; there are no accessible bathrooms in the building. It can use new insulation, new windows, better ventilation and better Wi-Fi connectivity. One time during a class, my professor joked the walls must be made of lead because of how poor the connection is. Spaces designated for gathering or studying can open up so many opportunities for community building and intellectual development. My gripe isn’t with modern architecture, minimalist aesthetics or the color gray, it’s with renovation and redesign efforts that strip old buildings of their character. It turns them into cold shells devoid of joy or history. Students are spending hours in these buildings, they should be welcoming spaces that feel good to be in.
I’m no architect, just someone who watched too much HGTV as a child and has a love of old buildings, but I feel the Bentley Hall renovation was well done. It preserved the building’s character while still updating it to fit Allegheny’s current needs. You can see the intention and care put into preserving it; walking through Bentley you feel the reverence the designers had for the building. A similar approach can hopefully be taken with Quigley; keep the character but fix the structure. Allegheny College is over 200 years old, that is a long, rich history that these buildings are a part of. Please give Quigley Wi-Fi, accessible bathrooms, and new carpets — the building definitely needs it — but keep the mid-century vibe alive!