While the walls of Presser Hall look like an artwork by Christo, it's actually part of an effort to raise the ceiling by 14 feet, creating Berea's first true recital hall.

College forges ahead with renovations
By Andy McDonald

When Berea College President Larry Shinn addressed the Berea Forum Tuesday, he brought good news and bad.

The bad news is that a poor national economy has diminished the size of Berea’s endowment by roughly 30 percent over the last three years, straining the college’s general operating fund.
The good news is the college can finish building renovation projects it has started because funds needed for those plans were set aside six years ago in Berea’s capital improvement budget.
The effort to rebuild Frost, Woods, Presser and Lincoln halls is all part of what Shinn called a 60-year decision – a necessary move to preserve failing buildings that might otherwise have been lost to future generations if they were not renovated.

Shinn made reference to possible criticism of the construction effort in the community, alluding to possible concerns that the college was spending too much money on buildings when some faculty positions are being cut. Eight part-time faculty members will not be renewed for next year, though Shinn emphasized again that funds set aside for buildings are not connected to the general operating fund.

Despite a poor economy, the college had to continue plans to refurbish aging structures. “Even in a budget constrained time, you still have to do things that are going to point you in the direction of the future,” Shinn said. While most construction projects are going well, there have been some setbacks. Shinn alluded to the collapse of the inside of Lincoln Hall two years ago, as well as more recent developments in which architects discovered that Presser was in danger of sliding down the hill toward the athletic field. Both projects are now headed in the right direction, Shinn said.

Bob Menefee confers with Berea College President Larry Shinn after Shinn outlined the progress of campus renovation projects for Berea Forum.

“We’re doing a renovation in Lincoln Hall you would not do if you didn’t have that near disaster,” Shinn said.

The inside of Lincoln has been fortified with a steel structure, new skylights have been added, and the interior walls will be made of glass, allowing light to travel through the building.

In addition, Lincoln will be the first building in Kentucky to meet Leeds standards – international benchmarks for environmental impact. For example, bricks from old interior walls will be recycled for part of the building’s drainage system instead of being discarded, and overall, the structure will be far more energy efficient. In addition, familiar features of the building will be integrated into the new design, including the old staircase, moldings, and Wallace Nutting furniture.

“On the one hand, it’s going to be a very modern, ecologically friendly building, but we’re trying to maintain a sense of historical character,” Shinn said. Lincoln may be finished as early as August.
Presser could also be finished by August, though there have been some adjustments in the original plan. The roof of Presser Hall is being raised 14 feet, which is why the exterior of the top floors are wrapped in yellow covering.

When Presser is completed, Shinn said it will have a large space for practices and performances, parking for concert goers, and a long-needed performance space for the college’s musical groups.
Said Shinn: “We’re going to have a true recital hall in Berea, Kentucky, which we do not now have. That’s very exciting.”

There's been a flurry of construction at Berea College in recent years, including renovation of dorms, administrative buildings and lecture halls.