The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon

The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon

The University of Chicago’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1892

Chicago Maroon

Old Pierce versus New Hall

A compare and contrast of Pierce and its replacement.

[img id=”108473″ align=”center”/]Just weeks before Pierce Tower’s slated demolition date of August 19, University officials announced Jeanne Gang as the chosen architect Monday afternoon. At a glance, Campus North looks bigger and sleeker, and “makes Pierce look even worse,” according to our friends at The Daily Sophist. So how do the two buildings stack up against each other on paper?

History

Pierce: Designed by Harry Weese, move-in was 1960, officially named “Stanley R. Pierce Hall”

Campus NorthDesigned by Jeanne Gang, move-in set for fall of 2016, no official name yet

Cost

Pierce: $2.4 million at the time of completion or $18.9 million adjusted for inflation

Campus North: $148 million budget

Size

Pierce: One building (10 stories), four houses with two-story lounges, 250 residents

Campus North: Three buildings (15, 11, and five stories), eight houses with three-story lounges, 800 residents

Location

Pierce: Pierce’s lot (duh)

Campus North: Pierce’s lot, Henry Crown Field, Pierce’s parking lot

Features

Pierce: Computer lab and study area on the top floor, game room on the second floor, ground level dining commons

Campus North: Green roof, top floor reading room with panoramic views of the city, ground level dining commons

Fun Facts

Pierce: Named after Stanley R. Pierce (A.B 1914), a broker who left the University $1 million ($9.7 million adjusted for inflation) after his death in 1948; Milton Friedman once sipped sherry and played Monopoly with residents in the snack shop, TANSTAAFL

Campus North: May become the first and only residence hall with LEED Gold certification; arguably in existence because of exploding toilets

***

We’re tossing this showdown to the public. Are you nodding because Gang’s got style? Might this turn into another architectural eyesore like another dorm on campus? Or will you always, always have a soft spot in your heart for Pierce Tower? Comment away!

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