Historic Trickett Hall understandably upset at being ripped apart, has wall collapse

http://cumberlink.com/news/local/no-injuries-in-wall-collapse-at-dickinson-school-of-law/article_f87286a4-f4ca-5901-97e4-f1c39f370168.html

November 13, 2008 12:00 am  •  By Joseph Cress, Sentinel Reporter, November 12, 2008

No one was injured Tuesday morning when a section of brick wall of the Penn State Dickinson School of Law’s Trickett Hall collapsed to the ground.

The 90-year-old structure is being restored as part of a $50 million renovation and expansion project of the campus at South and College streets, Carlisle.

School Dean Philip McConnaughay said the cause of the wall collapse is unknown, but structural engineers are assessing the damage prior to preparing a plan on how to restore it.

He added, since the collapse, workers have cleared the debris and shored up the breach with additional steel. Original bricks have been salvaged.

Workers were at the construction site when the collapse took place, McConnaughay said. Based on what he heard, there was prior warning and workers were told to clear the area.

The dean added the project budget includes some contingency funds set aside for unexpected work. “With a project of this scale, this kind of thing can happen with the restoration of an older building.

“I’m hoping for no significant impact on the scope and timing of the project,” McConnaughay said.

The $50 million project to renovate and expand Trickett Hall is set for completion by December 2009.

Planned in the area between Trickett Hall and the 1985 addition, the new Lewis Katz Hall will house three large classrooms, a courtyard, a commons area and a 200-seat courtroom/auditorium.

Trickett Hall will be renovated to house the H. Laddie Montague Jr. Law Library and a legislative hearing room. Dickinson School of Law is currently housed in the former Advantica building on the Carlisle Pike in Middlesex Township.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the University Park campus of Dickinson School of Law, which should be completed by this December.

Destruction continues, modern addition begins

http://cumberlink.com/news/local/work-begins-on-new-trickett-addition-renovation-continues/article_404a804b-22ce-5339-98a7-d503a08b972c.html


October 14, 2008 12:00 am  •  By Joseph Cress, Sentinel Reporter, Oct. 14, 2008

Work continues on the Lewis Katz Hall addition to the Penn State University Dickinson School of Law campus in Carlisle.

Classroom walls and steel are being put into place and foundation poured for the new building, said Nancy Jean LaMont, assistant dean for administration.

She added that the $50 million project to renovate and expand the 89-year-old Trickett Hall is on target for completion by December 2009.

Planned in the area between Trickett Hall and the 1985 addition, Lewis Katz Hall will house three large classrooms, a courtyard, a commons area and a 200-seat courtroom/auditorium.

LaMont explained the three stages to the new construction. The current stage involves enclosing the building to protect it from the elements and includes piles, foundations, flooring, roofing and steelwork.

The second stage is the rough-in phase, which involves the placement of infrastructure, including plumbing, wiring and the installation of duct work and such mechanical equipment as boilers, chillers and air handlers, LaMont said.

The third stage is the finishes, which includes terrazzo flooring, carpeting and millwork, along with special wall finishes and acoustical ceilings, she said.

Demolition done

Crews have completed the demolition of the 1963 and 1978 additions to Trickett Hall along with “the curtilage,” a collection of small brick buildings on South College Street that used to serve as faculty offices.

Meanwhile, work crews are well into the rough-in stage with Trickett Hall and the 1985 addition. Earlier, they gutted the interior of Trickett down to its walls, removing the old paneling and fixtures.

LaMont explained how the integrity of Trickett Hall has been evaluated and necessary repair work completed, including jacking up and reinforcing a bowed truss in the attic.

Trickett Hall will be renovated to house the H. Laddie Montague Jr. Law Library and a legislative hearing room.

Prior to breaking ground in January, law school officials met with neighbors to brief them on the details of the project and give them a means to report concerns.

“To our knowledge, no calls have been received through the information line,” LaMont said. “Minor issues have been reported to the law school and been promptly addressed by the construction manager.”

LaMont said the issues include a truck cutting over a curb and construction work starting at 7 a.m., which is in compliance with borough ordinance.

The new buildings should be ready for occupancy by early December 2009. Penn State plans to use that month to complete the move from the former Advantica building on the Carlisle Pike in Middlesex Township to the expanded Carlisle campus, where classes would resume in January 2010.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the University Park campus of Dickinson School of Law, which should be completed by this December.

Sad picture of Sadler Curtilege being destroyed by Penn State

http://cumberlink.com/news/dickinson-law-renovation-is-on-schedule/article_a5c117bb-287b-5601-be0c-073a20d91f19.html

March 21, 2008 12:00 am  •  By Joseph Cress, March 22, 2008

Penn State is clearing away the old to make way for the new at the Dickinson School of Law’s Carlisle campus.

The $50 million project to renovate and expand the 89-year-old Trickett Hall is on target for completion by December 2009, spokesperson Pam Knowlton said.

Crews have almost completed demolition of “the curtilage,” a collection of small brick buildings on South College Street that used to serve as faculty offices.

“Most of it is just clean-up,” said Knowlton, adding the brick is being ground up and recycled as fill under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design initiative.

Work has started on the demolition of the 1963 and 1978 additions to make room for construction of a one-story addition connecting a preserved Trickett Hall on South College Street with the boxy 1985 addition.

As demolition occurs, site work has started to prepare for the installation of utility lines, Knowlton said. Contractors hope by mid-April to pour the foundation footers of the new addition.

Crews have already gutted the interior of Trickett Hall down to its walls, removing the old paneling and fixtures, Knowlton said. The windows above the main entrance will be restored.

Trickett Hall will be renovated to house the H. Laddie Montague Jr. Law Library and a legislative hearing room, while the new Lewis Katz Hall will house three large classrooms, a courtyard, a commons area and a 200-seat courtroom/auditorium.

The new buildings should be ready for occupancy by early December 2009. Penn State plans to use that month to complete the move from the former Advantica building on the Carlisle Pike in Middlesex Township to the newly renovated and expanded Carlisle campus, where classes would resume in January 2010.

Meanwhile, construction continues on the University Park campus of Dickinson School of Law, which should be completed by December 2008, Knowlton said.

Alumni and Town love keeps Dickinson Law in Carlisle

http://cumberlink.com/news/carlisle-connection-touted-in-law-school-ceremony/article_587a6f0a-4fb3-5d77-9382-04b2b75e46f6.html

January 24, 2008 12:00 am  •  By Alex Roarty, Sentinel Reporter 

The Penn State Dickinson School of Law will remain in Carlisle because of the love it kindles in alumni and the surrounding town.

That was the message delivered by university and elected officials who spoke Wednesday afternoon at the ground-breaking ceremony for the $50 million construction and renovation project at the Carlisle-based law school.

The ceremony took place across South Street from the school, which is now enclosed by a fence as construction begins.

The law school was nearly moved to Penn State’s main campus before the board of trustees decided to retain the Carlisle campus.

They were pressured to do so by a group of dedicated alumni and local officials n who showed the trustees how important DSL was to them and to Carlisle, according to Gov. Ed Rendell.

He quoted Daniel Webster in saying of Dickinson: “It is a small school, but there are those who love it.”

State government receives hundreds of requests for funding each year, Rendell said, and must gauge the value of each before making a decision.

“But this was a pretty easy decision for me,” the governor added, “because of the friends of this school.”

Those friends included DSL graduates such as former Gov. Tom Ridge and former New Jersey Nets owner Lewis Katz, who made a $15 million contribution to the school.

The centerpiece of the Carlisle campus renovation is the construction of a new building named after Katz.

He recalled fondly the times he spent at the law school in the 1960s — he lived on Pomfret Street his junior year — while telling those gathered in the audience it gave him the skills to succeed in the world.

“If you spend time in Carlisle as a young person, you come to understand why you say you’re proud to be from central Pennsylvania,” Katz said.

The $50 million investment in DSL is offset by a $60 million investment by the university at its main campus law school project.

Together, the investment will help Penn State establish “one of the best law schools in America,” Katz said.

The DSL project budget, which is $10 million more than the original capital campaign target, comprises $10 million from Penn State, $15 million from private philanthropy and $25 million in matching funds from the state.

Officials say Lewis Katz Hall will feature state-of-the-art classrooms, a new courtroom and auditorium, an exterior courtyard, and an environmentally friendly “green” roof.

The facility will also feature the H. Laddie Montague, Jr. Law Library, named for the prominent Philadelphia trial attorney who donated $4 million to the law school.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said the cooperation between the main campus law school and its Carlisle counterpart will be beneficial to both.

“Throughout history, the Dickinson School of Law has trained distinguished graduates,” Spanier said. “We look forward to continuing this history.”

Throngs of local officials attended the ceremony, including state Rep. Glen Grell, R-87; state Rep. Will Gabig, R-199; state Sen. Pat Vance, R-31; Carlisle Mayor Kirk Wilson; and Cumberland County Commissioner Bruce Barclay.

They, along with Rendell, were congratulated by the speakers for helping retain the school.

Contracts are expected to be awarded by May, with construction finishing by December 2009.