The Enquirer's new Going In series is a companion series to Going Up, giving you details and an inside look into the region's new construction projects.
The basics of Bachelor Hall at Miami University
- Address: 301 S. Patterson Ave. in Oxford.
- Building type: Academic building.
- Owner: Miami University / Architects / BSA Design / Construction: Messer.
- Size: The building has expanded from 112,000 to 120,418 square feet.
- Cost: $72 million.
What you need to know: Bachelor Hall added 4-story atrium, new TV studio and new classrooms
Miami University has renovated and expanded Bachelor Hall, a building familiar to any alumni who took English or math classes at the university since 1979.
Bachelor Hall sits at the eastern entrance to campus. It was named for Joseph M. Bachelor, an author and English professor at Miami.
The back section of the building was originally shaped like a square doughnut from above, with offices and classrooms surrounding a courtyard. Now that doughnut hole has been filled in, the courtyard replaced with a four-story atrium.
The renovations also include new classrooms, seating areas and a new television
studio, Josh Chapin, director of news and communications for Miami, said in an announcement. There will be 20 classrooms and 141 offices. The Department of Media, Journalism and Film has moved into Bachelor Hall after Williams Hall was demolished this summer.
Along with the new spaces comes a new name for Miami's Humanities Center, which will now be called the Altman Institute for the Humanities after donor and former trustee John Altman.
The Miami University Alumni Association called the renovations "a new chapter for the humanities" at Miami University in an announcement.
"At a time when many institutions across the nation are scaling back their investment in the humanities, Miami University is boldly investing in the enduring value — and future — of a liberal arts education. Nowhere is that commitment more visible than in the newly transformed Bachelor Hall," the association said.
The renovations come three years after the university looked to consolidate 18 humanities majors in response to low enrollment and a budget deficit.
Energy consumption cut in half with modern renovation
The renovations will make the building more sustainable, according to BSA Design, the architecture and interior design firm on the project.
The building is now connected to the Western Campus Geothermal Plant, which is part of the university's plan to be carbon neutral by 2040. BSA Design estimated the building will see a 50% reduction in energy consumption as a result.
Grand opening for Homecoming weekend
The renovated Bachelor Hall's grand opening will be from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 25, part of Homecoming weekend.
The program will include tours, interactive exhibits and demonstrations from students and faculty, according to the university alumni association's website.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Inside Miami University's $72M renovation of Bachelor Hall | Going In
