In December 2016, the English Department moved out of the P-Building so that renovations could begin. Before the building closed, we held a “P-Building is closing Open House” where we offered tours of the 80-year old building, displayed the original architectural plans, and presented pictures of the building that I had found in old yearbooks. A number of people were interested in getting copies of the images, and I realized that I had over 200 and that many of them required explanations. Where had I found them? When were the pictures taken? What part of the building was in a particular photograph?
One of the guests said, “I’ve never been to a party for a building before.” Those of us who have lived and worked in this building have grown rather fond of it. The renovation will remove 80 years of old carpet, chipped paint, obsolete technologies, and various quirks that have accreted here. This project is a celebration of the curved walls, the tiny classrooms, the offices with bathrooms, the mismatched furniture, slate chalkboards, and that old familiar odor that will be replaced by institutional plastic, tile, and standardized conformity when we return in 2018.
Enjoy the pictures and the history!
The History of the English Building 