CAMPUS/AREA
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Wednesday, June 16, 1993
3
Hoch blueprints almost done
Tom Leininger KANSAN
Officials expect construction to take two years
Hoch Auditorium still stands in ruins. Yesterday marked the second anniversary of the fire that destroyed the historic building. Officials hope that the restoration will be completed in Fall 1995.
The fire-scarred walls of Hoch Audi-torium remain silent as the eight-foot fencing that surrounds the building provides a constant reminder of the blaze that gutted it two years ago.
By David Stewart Special to the Kansan
The fact that Hoch remains dormant after so long might indicate that minimal progress has been made toward its restoration. The only apparent work done to Hoch since lightning struck it that Saturday afternoon has been cleaning up debris, tearing down the deteriorated walls and building a temporary roof to cover its hollowed shell.
But during this time, the University and the architects chosen to redesign Hoch have laid much of the groundwork for the 66-year-old building's restoration.
"I think it has been as fast as humanly possible," said Warren Corman, director of planning for the Board of Regents. "The actual construction
phase for Hoch won't take place until we receive bids for the construction.
Corman said KU would not accept bids on Hoch until PKG Design Group, a Lawrence architecture firm, has finished restoration plans.
Dale Glenn, the architect in charge of the project, said his firm had completed 60 percent of the blueprints for Hoch's newly designed interior and refurbished exterior.
"We anticipate the construction documents will be completed by the end of August or sometime in September," Glenn said. KU will take bids on construction soon after that.
Alen Wiechert, University director of planning, anticipated that the construction would last two years and that classes would be held in the building by Fall 1995.
Some might think four years is a long time to wait, but there initially was some question of whether the state would even allocate the money to KU for the building's repairs.
money owed from state Medicaid payments in March of 1992. Gov Joan Finney and the state legislature allocated $18 million of these funds for the restoration of Hoch.
Fortunately for the University, the state of Kansas received an unexpected $185 million in federal funds for
"Because of the federal money, we were able to fully fund the reconstruction," said State Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence.
Because Hoch Auditorium is a state-owned building, it is not privately insured. After the fire, the State Finance Council denied KU's initial request of $197,000 for the demolition and clean-up of Hoch.
The restored Hoch, Corman said; will have the same facade as the old building, but will have an new interior.
"The design of the old auditorium might have worked for performances,
but it wouldn't work well for classroom space "he said.
Glenn would designating Hoch for academics would make more sense.
"The problem with the combination performance/classroom spaces is that they're not particularly good for either function." Glenn said. "Having the Lied Center as the place for performances frees up the interior of Hoch for classrooms."
The Lied Center in West Campus will finally open in the fall
Demolition crews took down the east wall of Hoch Auditorium after the fire.
KANSAN file photo
The University's plans for Hoch's
restoration include three lecture halls – one with 1,000 seats and two with 500 seats each. The new Hoch also will have four smaller classrooms and the Government Documents and Map Library.
Both Glenn and Corman said that although the loss incurred by the fire was tragic, the fire's aftermath might benefit Hoch in the end.
"When the fire happened," Glenn said, "it expanded the opportunity to make the spaces much more functional."
Corman agreed.
"The fire, in a sense, was a great favor," he said. "It will give us much more classroom space than what Hoch'sold interior might have provided."
Oread parking permit plan on hold until fall
Katie Greenwald Kansan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
Residents and merchants in the Oread neighborhood northeast of campus have until September to study changes made to a draft proposal after a recent survey of parking patterns was conducted
The Oread Neighborhood Association conducted the survey April 21 to determine patterns over a 21-block area after area residents expressed concern about the lack of parking. Members of the association wrote down license plate numbers of cars that were parked on those blocks at 6 a.m. They returned at 8 a.m., 10 a.m. and noon to repeat the process.
The survey supported what we thought, that Ohio between 10th and 14th streets was the worst," said Jennifer Brown, coordinator of the association. "As soon as one car pulled out, another pulled in."
The survey showed that commuter traffic was heavy, Brown said.
The current proposal would restrict parking between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Monday through Friday on the streets
The association is waiting until the students return in the fall to conduct a new study because traffic is lighter in the summer, she said.
enclosed by 9th, 14th, Mississippi and Tennessee streets. After an April 7 meeting, members of the association's parking committee recommended that the 900 and 1000 blocks of Illinois, Alabama and Maine streets, 10th Street from Ohio to Indiana streets and the 12th Street cul-desac be added to the list of restricted streets.
Parking permits would cost $10 and three permits would be allotted per living unit.
Although the proposal would benefit some residents, some area businesses were concerned about the hours because they would limit parking to their customers during their busiest hours.
"As it is right now, we don't have much parking," said Donny Keen, manager of Yello Sub, 624 W. 12th St. "If they set up so no one can park on these streets, it won't help our cause at all."
The association is considering the issue and wants input, Brown said.
"The permit system has proven to be a solution, or at least a help, in some cities," said Linda Hixon, an association board member. Manhattan, Kan., and Eugene, Ore., are college towns that use variations of the system.
Although scholarship hall residents
John Paul Fogel/KANSAN
Source: Oread Neighborhood Association Newsletter
worried that the proposal might make it difficult to find a parking place once their lots filled up. Don Kearns, director of parking, said the department's plan to add one parking site and reclaim an old one would provide enough spaces.
"We are building another lot where Jollife Hall used to be," Keams sad. The lot, which will be at the corner of
Alumi Place and Ohio Street, should be finished by the start of the school year, he said. It will provide about 35 parking spaces.
The department also plans to designate the parking lot at 13th and Louisiana streets, formerly Adams Alumni Center parking, as scholarship hall parking. The lot holds 22 cars.
Orientation eases transition for incoming KU students
By LiSa Cosmillo
Kancan staff writer
Kansan staff writer
This summer more than 5,100 students and 4,000 of their parents will attend one of the 20 sessions conducted by the Office of New Student Orientation.
There are 100 more students and 900 more parents than last summer registered to participate in the 1933 session, said Catherine Webster, assistant director for New Student Orientation. About 90 percent of incoming freshman will go through the orientation program.
Kathryn Kretschmer, director of New Student Orientation, said the purpose of orientation was to help new students make a smooth transition to the University of Kansas.
"When they leave that day they'll have their schedule. KUID and be better prepared for KU," Kretschmer said.
The majority of the students at this year's orientation are incoming freshman, but sessions also are held for transfer and readmitted students.
The day begins with an opening session introducing KU and a faculty address followed by a program on diversity at the University. The students and parents separate after these joint sessions to attend meetings that focus on life at KU
Programs offered for the students include individual conferences with the orientation assistants, a program entitled KU 101 in which role plays are used to inform students about topics raging from organizations to health, academic advising and an information fair.
The parents have a variety of programs to choose from including financial aid, bus tours of KU and a seminar on letting go of their children.
Barbara Ballard, director of the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, said orientation also benefited KU.
"I enjoy orientation," said Ballard, who assists the orientation staff with its cultural diversity programs. "It gives us a chance to really show off the University."
Craig Lang, Springfield, Mo., incoming freshman, said it was easy to get all the classes he wanted.
"I didn't have a hassle," Lang said.
"They gave us a list of which classes were open, so I knew what to ask for and went right over and enrolled."
The orientation staff is comprised of three full-time staff members who work all year and 14 orientation assistants, who are KU students that work from the day after commencement into Hawk Week.