Previously called the “Corner Pocket” by many and now named the “Ground Floor,” the newly renovated space in the Alumni Building houses space just for students, including offices for Campus Activities Board and the Student Government Association, the two largest student organizations on campus.
As the spring semester came to a close, construction crews wrapped up finishing touches on the $2.1 million ground-level renovation, but students began using the space since its grand opening March 17.
“It may not have been finished, but it was definitely functioning,” said Theo MacMillan, a May graduate who worked in Campus Life as his student labor position.
Even while construction continued on a new entrance and outside stairwell to connect the Alumni Building and the patio outside of the Woods-Penniman Building, students were inside using the new wellness room, collaboration zone, and recreation areas with pool tables and a ping pong table, said Dara Evans ’04, the Campus Life program associate who has been overseeing the project.
The wellness room, which can comfortably fit 15-20 people depending on the activity, has been used for yoga, dance fitness and a self-defense class. Yoga mats are available, but Evans said there are plans to install some exercise equipment as well.
A kitchenette was installed, featuring a refrigerator, microwave, coffee makers and a bar with stools. The bathrooms also were renovated and upgrades were made to the newly expanded kitchen located across the hall from the Activities Room, which is now the official home of the Berea College Country Dancers. The Activities Room received upgraded sound equipment and has some additional floor room with the removal of the old stage.
The new collaboration zone is intended to be a study or meeting space, and features an in-wall 55-inch smart TV with HDMI hookup and a giant DIRTT (Doing it Right This Time) Environmental Solutions white board. DIRTT, a leading technology-driven manufacturer of highly customized interiors, designs and builds interior spaces that maximize flexibility and minimizes impact on the environment. The insulation behind all of the white boards and reconfigurable dividing panels is made of old T-shirts, Evans said.
“And the cool thing is, if we ever feel like the space needs to change, we don’t need a construction crew to do it,” she added.
The renovated space features four identical in-wall 55-inch smart TVs located in two gaming rooms, the wellness room and the Dr. William E. and Esther T. Barton Memorial Room – which has served as space for the YMCA, YWCA and other religious groups and provides a meeting room for students.
The newly renovated space also houses a student-managed outdoor recreation program, which provides options for checking out bikes, sleeping bags, tents, kayaks and other recreational equipment. During the school year, students organized weekly excursions, including hiking, kayaking, canoeing and white-water rafting. Students can continue to check out equipment during the summer months by stopping by Campus Life, Evans said.
Ground Floor is open to students daily from 7 a.m. to midnight with an attendant available at equipment checkout between 10 a.m. and midnight.
As a 2004 alumna and a long-time staff member at Berea College, Evans has been able to witness the ground-level transition first-hand, stating, “We’ve truly created a student-centered space that’s available to students. If I can hang out down there all the time, I would,” she said. “We went from a dark dungeon to something that is gorgeous, full of life and caters to many different student interests.”
MacMillan ‘16, a fan of the old “Corner Pocket,” says, “The great thing is that it’s just for students.”