As construction winds down on the new Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center, Hillsdale College is already looking toward the future when it comes to adding new facilities to the college campus.
In addition to the renovation of existing structures such as the George Roche Sports Complex and various student dormitories, the college has plans for the construction of a 10,000-15,000 square foot archives addition to Mossey Library, a 41,879 square foot chapel to facilitate musical performances and religious functions, and a 45,000 square foot indoor turf field.
The college also plans to make improvements to the quad by rebuilding the rear of Central Hall to make it appear more like the front, as well as extending the colonnade to bridge between the science center and the existing colonnade structure. This covered area will also feature a large outdoor fireplace for student use.
According to Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé, all building projects are funded by gifts to the college.
“We have to have a plan and articulate that plan with artistic renderings, things of that nature. We prioritize the top 10 projects, and we reach out to individuals who may have an interest in particular buildings,” Péwé said. “We try to raise money for all the things we need before we start building.”
At the top of the administration’s list of planned projects is a renovation of the George Roche Sports Complex. This renovation will redo the main floor of the arena, the location of the indoor track. The plan, according to Péwé, is to develop the complex into a student fitness center, complete with a rock wall, smoothie bar, dance studios, spinning rooms, and three hardwood basketball courts, among other things.
Plans for an archives addition to the library have been in the works since before 2000, according to Library Director Dan Knoch.
“It’s something we’ve needed, and we’re looking forward to getting it done,” Knoch said.
The planned archive building would contain a display area, a reading room, and an office for a full-time archivist, whose job would be to catalogue the ever-growing collection of material being donated to the college.
Besides the Ludwig von Mises collection, which is stored on the second level of the library, the college also has several other collections packed away on the fourth floors of Lane and Kendall hall, including items from Russell Kirk, Sir Martin Gilbert, and William Buckley.
“If I had to guess, I’d say there are probably 25,000 volumes up there, not including the papers and articles. The papers are stored in fireproof, locked cabinets. The books are just in boxes,” Knoch said. “A lot of it is catalogued, but the records are suppressed. It’s just too hard to retrieve the material.”
Though the project has been in the works for over a decade, the college is missing one crucial element in order to develop the new collection center.
“Money. We need money for the building,” Knoch said.
Péwé echoed similar sentiments, saying, “It’s one of those things where, if we had the money, we’d build it.”
The Founder’s Campaign, which began in the year 2001, and ended just last year, had the goal of raising enough money to finance these planned construction projects. Though the campaign raised a substantial amount of money, it wasn’t enough to finance the college’s building plans. It is hoped that the new capital campaign will produce the funding necessary to begin these projects.
“Every day, we’re looking to raise money to sustain what we have,” Péwé said. “Scholarships and faculty chairs are the priority. Capital projects are the next thing.”