Hitchcock renovation yields new energy, hidden treasures
The paint was still fresh when Hitchcock Hall reopened its doors to students
at the start of winter term, following more than a year of extensive
renovations. Students now enjoy all the features of a modern building in the
1914 residence hall.
Jason Lyon ’10 (left) and Astrid Bradley ’09 in newly renovated Hitchcock
Hall’s second-floor lounge. The balcony railing is constructed from original
stairway railings. (Photo by Joseph Mehling ’69).
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“The renovation of Hitchcock is part of our long-term program,” says Martin
Redman, dean of residential life.
“With the addition of 500 new resident spaces in the McLaughlin Cluster and the
Fahey and McLane Halls [opened fall 2006], we are able to devote our attention
to the older facilities.”
Prior to the renovation, Hitchcock housed 118 students, had an outdated
single-pipe heating system, and lacked insulation. To accommodate needed
updates, the interior was removed down to the floors and completely rebuilt.
The new floor plan houses 86 students, most in single rooms, and includes
common spaces on each floor. The building has all new heating, plumbing,
wiring, windows, and insulation. It also has an elevator and is fully ADA
accessible.
The resulting energy efficiency increase makes “a major difference,”
according to Woody Eckels, director of residential operations. In
addition to savings in heating fuel, the building’s “green” features now
include high-efficiency lighting and a shower drain heat-recovery system.
The space’s benefits go beyond brick and mortar, according to undergraduate
advisor Farshad Chowdhury ’09. “The renovations have created a blank slate that
gives those of us who live here the chance to shape the traditions and sense of
community in the hall,” he says. “The surroundings are pristine, and the new
environment has injected fresh energy into the floor dynamic.”
Eckels adds that the demolition process brought some surprises—in the form
of items fallen into hidden spaces and left behind by generations of former
students. Finds included a 1915 card certifying membership in the Dartmouth
Towel System, a postcard from a 1947 ski trip, a cinema program for a Gary
Cooper film, and creased black and white photographs. “My favorite was a letter
to William “Wemo” Epply ’44 from his brother,” Eckels says. “Wemo was a
classmate of my father [David T. Eckels ’44, Tuck ’46] and I’ve known him since
I was a child. He now has the letter.”
There may be more hidden treasures to discover as additional dorms are
renovated. Work has already begun on New Hampshire Hall, and future projects
include Mass Row, the Fayerweathers, Richardson, Wheeler, Butterfield, and
Russell Sage. Redman comments, “As stewards, we are committed to reinvesting in
our facilities so they meet the needs of many future generations of Dartmouth
students.”
By SARAH MEMMI
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