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.

http://cumberlink.com/news/trickett-hall-project-to-start-in-january/article_b1201c3c-7488-598c-870b-ce1e040ed43b.html

Construction to begin in January.

Upcoming Law School construction brings up nostalgic feelings for all the crap Carlisle had to go through to get Penn State to keep any of its promises

http://cumberlink.com/news/opinion/editorial/soon-law-school-construction-begins/article_75234c4d-7522-5118-946a-184885cd8561.html

November 06, 2007 12:00 am  •  By The Sentinel 

Sunday’s Sentinel story, “PSU OKs law school,” may remind some of us about the community struggle to keep the law school in Carlisle, but the story remains an affirmation of the school’s future here.

It seems like only yesterday that The Sentinel was informing its readers of a planned attempt to move Dickinson School of Law to Penn State’s main campus through a quick-strike vote of the school’s board of trustees. From that early warning, the community came together in a campaign to keep the law school in its historic home.

That campaign finally resulted in the Solomonic, if not totally satisfactory, decision to recreate the law school as a dual-campus educational facility. Later, local residents were wary of plans that called for a showplace headquarters building of modern architecture to be plunked down in the leafy southwest quadrant that has been home to the law school for so long.

That controversy resulted in the plan described in Sunday’s edition — a refurbishment and preservation of the familiar Trickett Hall and a new building addition that will connect it with a 1985 addition. Other adjuncts built in 1963 and 1973 will be demolished, along with “the curtilage,” a group of smaller brick buildings along South College Street used for faculty offices.

As Penn State has promised all along, the reimagined Carlisle campus will be connected with the University Park facility through the latest in audiovisual telecommunications and data exchange, making it possible for students in one location to take advantage of lectures and resources being offered in the other location.

Groundbreaking is expected in a couple of months, with an estimated completion date in March 2010. The $50 million cost of the project is half state money and 10 percent Penn State money, with the rest raised in a campaign specifically targeted at the Carlisle campus.

The construction project may inflict some transitory inconvenience on the surrounding neighborhood for the next couple of years, but there is good reason to look forward to the campus’ rededication. Right now, the student body and faculty are using temporary quarters in the former Stoner Associates building along the Miracle Mile.

This means a fairly large group of people find themselves no longer convenient to the downtown, which means they’re less likely to patronize downtown businesses. Their eventual return could help drive the downtown revitalization efforts we covered in The Sentinel last week, if the timing is right.

So we wish Penn State and the law school the best of luck as they move forward, hopefully free of construction delays and cost overruns. What’s good for them could be good for the whole community.

PSU trustees approve final Carlisle law school plans

http://cumberlink.com/news/psu-trustees-approve-final-carlisle-law-school-plans/article_2f051eb4-886d-5849-9ec5-35409349ed99.html

November 04, 2007 12:00 am  •  By Joseph Cress, Sentinel Reporter 

The Penn State Board of Trustees Friday afternoon approved the final plans for $50 million in renovations and additions to Trickett Hall at Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law Carlisle campus.

The 89-year-old Trickett Hall and the 1985 addition will be retained, according to plans designed by Polshek Partnership Architects and Hargreaves Associates, both of New York City, and Harrisburg’s Office of Planning and Architecture.

Trickett Hall will be renovated to house the H. Laddie Montague, Jr. Law Library, while the 1985 addition will be renovated to house offices. The new Lewis Katz Hall, which will be topped with a green roof, will contain classrooms, a courtroom and auditorium.

An advanced audiovisual telecommunications network will connect the building with the law school’s new facility at University Park, enabling students and faculty at either location to access on a real-time, interactive basis classes or programs at either location.

“In this way, the law school will operate as a single enterprise, with a single identity, reputation, and stature,” said Gary C. Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer of the University.

Carlisle Borough Council in September approved the final development plan for the proposed addition.

The plan calls for the construction of a one-story addition connecting a preserved Trickett Hall on South College Street with the boxy 1985 brick addition.

This would require the demolition of 1963 and 1973 additions along with “the curtilage,” a collection of small brick buildings on the north side of the campus on South College Street that today are used as faculty offices.

Demolition could begin by late fall or early winter.

Ground-breaking is expected by January 2008, with an estimated completion date of March 2010.

The new addition will also include seminar rooms, a cafe and common space. It will be relatively modest in size in keeping with the desire to empathize historic Trickett Hall.

The project is being paid for by $15 million in fundraising and $10 million from the University matched by $25 million in state money.

City Council approved the addition to Trickett Hall

http://cumberlink.com/news/council-oks-addition-to-dickinson-law-school/article_52a68cfe-dba7-53e1-af62-e44f2006e2bd.html

September 15, 2007 12:00 am  •  By The Sentinel Staff,  

Carlisle Borough Council Thursday approved the final development plan for a proposed addition to the Carlisle campus of Penn State Dickinson School of Law.

The plan calls for the construction of a one-story addition connecting a preserved Trickett Hall on South College Street with a boxy 1985 brick addition.

This would require the demolition of 1963 and 1973 additions along with &#8220the curtilage,” a collection of small brick buildings on the north side of the campus on South College Street that today are used as faculty offices.

Demolition could begin by late fall or early winter. Construction of the new addition, which may be named Lewis Katz Hall, could start in early spring 2008 with completion by spring 2010.

The new addition will include classrooms, seminar rooms, an auditorium, a cafe and common space. It will be relatively modest in size in keeping with the desire to empathize historic Trickett Hall.

Trickett Hall will house a new law library and hearing room while the 1985 addition will be used for administration.

Tentative look at the destruction of Trickett Hall

http://cumberlink.com/news/drawings-offer-look-at-tentative-dsl-changes/article_9fa4bffb-748c-52e9-b82b-f9cf008d47f8.html

May 18, 2007 12:00 am  •  By David Blymire 

Penn State Dickinson School of Law Friday released new illustrations of a proposed renovation and addition of the Carlisle campus.

The preliminary drawings circulated among members of the Penn State University board of trustees this week show a modern addition between Trickett Hall on South College Street and a boxy 1985 brick addition at the rear of the property.

Dean Philip McConnaughay said Friday the law school hopes to occupy the completed buildings by early spring of 2010 and hold graduation in Carlisle that year.

He said he doesn't yet have a timeline for when the plans might come to the trustees and Carlisle borough officials for approval.

Law school officials have been discussing the plans with borough officials, he said.

&#8220I expect you will see some demolition begin as early as November of this year,” he said.

Designing a new structure that ties the campus to its very modern sister campus in State College while sitting next to the Colonial-styled Trickett Hall gave Polshek Partnership Architects in New York a whole new challenge.

Tacking the ultra modern onto the beautiful traditional......and destroying the grand staircases in the processes.

http://cumberlink.com/news/dsl-plan-includes-green-structure/article_ef30d0e3-20b1-500f-bafb-f386b2320b21.html

‘

March 29, 2007 12:00 am  •  By David Blymire, Sentinel Reporter, March 29, 2007 

Very elegant’

“I can assure you they are very, very elegant,” McConnaughay says. “They will enhance the stature of Trickett Hall.”

The preliminary drawings show the original Trickett Hall structure facing South College Street would be renovated inside to house the law school’s library.

An addition constructed in the mid-1980s at the back of the current campus would be retained and used as faculty offices, McConnaughay says.

Other additions between the two structures would be demolished, including “the curtilage,” a collection of small brick buildings on the north side of the campus along South College Street that today are used as faculty offices.

Lewis Katz rides to the rescue of Trickett Hall.

http://cumberlink.com/news/donor-million-katz-s-donation-to-law-school-is-among/article_bea8c3f5-0f71-5cf7-b64e-9a28d68b7265.html

January 18, 2007 12:00 am  •  By David Blymire, Sentinel Reporter, January 18, 2007 

They were major players in the debate over the future of Penn State Dickinson School of Law and when it came time to ante up cash, they came up big.

Lewis Katz and H. Laddie Montague contributed a combined $19 million toward construction of a new “signature” addition at the Trickett Hall campus in Carlisle, Penn State officials announced this morning.

Katz, one-time owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team, contributed $15 million, making his one of the largest donations from a single contributor in Penn State’s history, officials said.

To honor that feat, Penn State proposes to name the new building addition in Carlisle “Lewis Katz Hall” and the new law school building in State College the “Lewis Katz Building.”

Breaking ground.....and most of Trickett Hall

http://cumberlink.com/news/law-school-to-break-ground/article_fa3d7ff9-d272-5f90-a6cb-e7ddcb4af89e.html

January 16, 2007 12:00 am

Penn State University will break ground Thursday on a proposed $60 million campus for Dickinson School of Law in State College, marking the start of construction.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortes, university officials and project architects will take part in the 10 a.m. ceremony at the site of the school’s future home along Park Avenue near Beaver Stadium.

The proposed 113,000-square-foot building is part of the university’s $110 million plan for new, electronically connected law school facilities in State College and Carlisle.

Officials said Monday they hope to host a ground breaking in Carlisle by late spring or early summer.

Gifts at the end of 2006 pushed the Carlisle project total to the $50 million level and officials have said the preservation of Trickett Hall will be the centerpiece of a new design by the project architect, Polshek Partnership Architects.

Yep, "center piece" of the design after they tried first to destroy it.

That other law school to break ground

Law school to break ground

Penn State University will break ground Thursday on a proposed $60 million campus for Dickinson School of Law in State College, marking the start of construction.

Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortes, university officials and project architects will take part in the 10 a.m. ceremony at the site of the school’s future home along Park Avenue near Beaver Stadium.

The proposed 113,000-square-foot building is part of the university’s $110 million plan for new, electronically connected law school facilities in State College and Carlisle.

Officials said Monday they hope to host a ground breaking in Carlisle by late spring or early summer.

Gifts at the end of 2006 pushed the Carlisle project total to the $50 million level and officials have said the preservation of Trickett Hall will be the centerpiece of a new design by the project architect, Polshek Partnership Architects.

Design approved

In September, Penn State trustees approved final design of the three-story University Park facility, which will be built next to the future university arboretum and close to the business and forest resources buildings.

The new structure will feature a glass-enclosed library and reading room, study and gathering spaces, a law clinic for pro bono legal services, a 250-seat auditorium and a high-tech-equipped courtroom.

Dickinson School of Law expects to occupy the new facility in January 2009. Until then, the Beam Building on Park Avenue is serving as the law school’s home in University Park.

Penn State President Graham B. Spanier; Cynthia A. Baldwin, chair of Penn State’s board of trustees; and Philip J. McConnaughay, dean of The Dickinson School of Law, will lead the ceremony.

Polshek Partnership will be represented by partners Richard M. Olcott and Timothy P. Hartung.

Cortes, a 1999 graduate of The Dickinson School of Law, also will participate in the ceremony.

A reception will follow in the President’s Hall of The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel.

"The law school is thrilled to commence construction on what will be a world-class home for one of the nation’s finest law schools," McConnaughay said.

Progress for new law school HQ

Progress for new law school HQ

By The Sentinel, January 3, 2007

It was a late Christmas present for the Carlisle community, but it was a welcome one.

We’re talking about the announcement by Penn State that it has $50 million committed to the renovation of Dickinson School of Law’s Trickett Hall.

Originally, Penn State had planned to construct a new building from the ground up and completely remove Trickett from the landscape. This was in keeping with the university’s pledge to treat Carlisle equally with the planned second campus for the law school at University Park, which is supposed to break ground sometime in a few weeks.

But many local residents were aghast at the notion, especially after seeing the unofficial drawings of a proposed new building that were posted inside Trickett Hall. People who live in the adjacent residential area especially were concerned that a modern building would be an eyesore compared to the old-fashioned stone-faced visage of Trickett they were used to, and a petition drive against the modern building was started.

Those complaints were heard, and Penn State committed to a partial preservation of Trickett. But that decision came with its own problems, specifically negative feedback from donors who had conditioned their gifts on the construction of a new building. In May it was announced that only $30 million would be available for the new law school campus — a possible threat to the notion that both law school campuses would be equal.

But last week, Philip McConnaughay, dean of the law school, announced that donors had risen to the challenge and brought the Carlisle campus’ pool of money back up to $50 million. That number includes the $25 million pledged at the outset by Gov. Ed Rendell, $10 million of Penn State’s own money and $15 million in alumni gifts.

Work will now resume on the design of a building that will incorporate Trickett Hall’s appearance while offering expanded and modernized space for the entire law school. Because of the controversy, the twin campuses in Carlisle and University Park will open several months apart, not simultaneously as originally planned.

Nevertheless, the larger commitment of funding and the restarting of the design process will help Carlisle maintain its historic claim as the home of Dickinson School of Law. We had the hunch when Penn State first took over Dickinson Law back in the 1990s that the university might not be satisfied with having such a prestigious institution operate so far from its seat of power in Centre County, and subsequent events proved us right.

Those battles are behind us now, and the future looks bright for the Carlisle campus of Dickinson Law. We anxiously await the unveiling of the design for the new campus.

Penn State finally coughs up some of the dough it promised

http://cumberlink.com/news/opinion/editorial/progress-for-new-law-school-hq/article_fe81b630-36a3-50c6-bd28-bd9ab0cd7d93.html

January 03, 2007 12:00 am  •  By The Sentinel, January 3, 2007

(0) Comments

It was a late Christmas present for the Carlisle community, but it was a welcome one.

We’re talking about the announcement by Penn State that it has $50 million committed to the renovation of Dickinson School of Law’s Trickett Hall.

Originally, Penn State had planned to construct a new building from the ground up and completely remove Trickett from the landscape. This was in keeping with the university’s pledge to treat Carlisle equally with the planned second campus for the law school at University Park, which is supposed to break ground sometime in a few weeks.

But many local residents were aghast at the notion, especially after seeing the unofficial drawings of a proposed new building that were posted inside Trickett Hall. People who live in the adjacent residential area especially were concerned that a modern building would be an eyesore compared to the old-fashioned stone-faced visage of Trickett they were used to, and a petition drive against the modern building was started.

Those complaints were heard, and Penn State committed to a partial preservation of Trickett. But that decision came with its own problems, specifically negative feedback from donors who had conditioned their gifts on the construction of a new building. In May it was announced that only $30 million would be available for the new law school campus — a possible threat to the notion that both law school campuses would be equal.

But last week, Philip McConnaughay, dean of the law school, announced that donors had risen to the challenge and brought the Carlisle campus’ pool of money back up to $50 million. That number includes the $25 million pledged at the outset by Gov. Ed Rendell, $10 million of Penn State’s own money and $15 million in alumni gifts.

Work will now resume on the design of a building that will incorporate Trickett Hall’s appearance while offering expanded and modernized space for the entire law school. Because of the controversy, the twin campuses in Carlisle and University Park will open several months apart, not simultaneously as originally planned.

Nevertheless, the larger commitment of funding and the restarting of the design process will help Carlisle maintain its historic claim as the home of Dickinson School of Law. We had the hunch when Penn State first took over Dickinson Law back in the 1990s that the university might not be satisfied with having such a prestigious institution operate so far from its seat of power in Centre County, and subsequent events proved us right.

Those battles are behind us now, and the future looks bright for the Carlisle campus of Dickinson Law. We anxiously await the unveiling of the design for the new campus.

They had to destroy Dickinson for this??

State College law school to boast large library
By Linda Franz, Sentinel Reporter, September 16, 2006

Penn State Board of Trustees approved final plans Friday for a $60 million Dickinson School of Law building at University Park.

The structure will consist of three floors plus a lower level and a 113,000-square-foot building footprint north of Park Avenue on Bigler Road.

That’s a prominent location adjacent to the future arboretum and near the Business and Forest Resources buildings, said Gary Schultz, senior vice president for finance and business/treasurer of the university.

The first floor will include three 75-seat tiered classrooms, a 50-seat courtroom and a 250-seat auditorium.

Admissions, administrative support and a law clinic, where volunteers will offer pro bono legal services, also will be on the first floor, along with a cafe.

The library will take up about 50 percent of the building, with the main stacks on the third floor. The second floor will include a portion of the library, faculty offices, three 30-seat seminar rooms, a conference room, student services, law review offices and the dean’s and development suites.

More faculty offices will be on the third floor along with space for student organizations, a group study room and conference room.

A parking lot for 350 cars will serve the law school and buildings north of Services Road.

A portion of the site has been reserved for potential expansion or for a separate building.

Funding Lacking for Carlisle Campus

Funding still sought for Carlisle law school makeover
By Linda Franz, Sentinel Reporter, September 16, 2006

While final plans for construction of a law school building at Penn StateÍs main campus were approved Friday, plans to upgrade Penn State Dickinson School of LawÍs Carlisle campus are still on hold.

First, fundraising lagged after a March 2005 decision to establish two campuses. With a commitment of up to $25 million in matching funds from the state for the Carlisle campus and a $10 million pledge from Penn State, that left $15 million to be raised by supporters of the Carlisle campus.

Fundraising continued from its original deadline of September 2005 because the goal had not been met. Then, with a limited local effort under way to save the law schoolÍs Trickett Hall, Penn State in May withdrew its proposal to construct a new building and agreed to renovate Trickett Hall at a cost of up to $30 million.

Pledges declined substantially when we announced that we would be preserving Trickett Hall rather than replacing it with new construction, law school Dean Philip McConnaughay says.

"Since that time, we have been engaged in conversations with major donors to discuss whether there still might be an option to which they would like to contribute that would include the preservation of Trickett Hall.

"These discussions are ongoing and we hope to conclude them within the next several days."

But whatever the result of the final tally, McConnaughay says hes confident in a good outcome for the law school in Carlisle.

"The difference will be reflected only in the amount of renovation in comparison to new construction," he says. "Either option will result in a highly suitable facility for the Dickinson School of Law."

Spanier mentioned the law school in his annual 'State of the University' address Friday to the Penn State Board of Trustees. He attributed the creation of a second campus to changes in the field of legal education that made it necessary for Penn State to rethink the way it operates its law school.

"The result is an unprecedented commitment to legal education that will result in a new law school building here at the University Park campus and a major renovation at the original site of The Dickinson School of Law in Carlisle," Spanier said.

"The dual-campus approach will give our students greater exposure to interdisciplinary studies between the law school and other colleges. It will also open new opportunities for legal research and collaboration among our faculty."

Spanier added that the changes already have produced the strongest and most diverse applicant pool ever.

Dale Shughart, who was appointed to the seven-member Dickinson Law Association set up to monitor Penn StateÍs compliance with March 2005 dual campus agreement, says he doesnÍt know how the final plans will shape up for the Carlisle project.

"IÍm just assuming they're still working on it and perhaps lining up what theyÍre going to have available in terms of money," he says. "I would anticipate something fairly soon.î

Shortly after Penn State announced in May it would renovate Trickett Hall rather than tear it down and construct a new building on the Carlisle campus, Shughart expressed disappointment in a guest editorial in The Sentinel. He felt a new $50 million building would ensure the law schoolÍs future in Carlisle.

"I am convinced that Penn State could not walk away from a modern, state-of-the-art facility in Carlisle," he wrote. "On the other hand, a renovated Trickett could be amortized over the term of the ten-year contract and become expendable to Penn State."

I'll believe it when I see it

Don't turn your back on Penn State for a second.


No wrecking ball for Trickett Hall
By David Blymire, Sentinel Reporter, May 19, 2006


Score one for the preservationists.

Amid growing opposition, Penn State University has decided to scrap its plans for a modern Dickinson School of Law building.

Trickett Hall will be spared from the wrecking ball and preserved as the centerpiece of a $30 million construction project at the South College Street site.

"Instead of building a new law school facility, our plan now is to undertake an extensive renovation... which we believe still will enable us to achieve our objective as a unified two-campus law school," Dean Philip McConnaughay said Thursday.

The dean said Penn State had hoped to complete a $50 million project in Carlisle, "but the recent climate of opposition interfered with our ability to reach our financial goal and appeared to threaten ongoing delays and frustration in our ability to complete our new building in a timely fashion."

Area residents and historic preservationists collected more than 2,500 signatures on petitions and asked Carlisle Borough Council, Gov. Ed Rendell and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to intervene.

Two of the residents this morning were very happy with the announcement.


"Wow," was all Judi Shunk initially could say when she learned that Trickett would be retained.

Shunk took the group’s plea to borough council last week as residents packed borough hall for the council meeting.

"I am sitting here and I am smiling," she said this morning. "That’s probably the reaction of the committee. We are absolutely heartened by the decision."

Charles Andrews called the announcement "wonderful news" and added, "I applaud the decision. I think its the appropriate thing to do."
Previous plans

Penn State hired Polshek Partnership Architects of New York last fall to design new law school facilities for the campuses in State College and Carlisle.

The architects drew up plans for a long, narrow curvilinear structure at each location with a three-story, 80,000-square-foot structure planned for the Carlisle campus.

But those plans have been tossed aside and officials are starting over.

"The architects are now taking a fresh look at what we can do," McConnaughay said.

He said Penn State is aiming to complete renovations by January 2009 but the change of plans could delay the reopening of the building by six months.

With the recent change in direction, the dean couldn’t provide many details of the new plans.

"We will end up with a facility that is very nicely renovated and probably will provide as much...operating space as the new facility would have provided," he said. "Right now, we contemplate an extensive renovation rather than new construction."

He said the law school is still planning to move most of its operations to the Advantica building on Harrisburg Pike in Middlesex Township this summer.

The law school would remain there until the project at Trickett Hall is complete.

Some offices may remain behind at the Trickett Hall site, he added.

Council asked to help save Trickett Hall

Council asked to help save Trickett Hall

By David Blymire, May 12, 2006
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A Carlisle resident Thursday asked borough council to join the fight to save the 88-year-old home of Dickinson School of Law from the wrecking ball.

"We are dangerously close, as you are aware, of forever losing this venerable emblem of both Pennsylvania’s historic law school and the borough of Carlisle," said Judi Shunk of the Old Neighborhoods League.

Shunk compared Trickett Hall to the Old Courthouse, Dickinson College’s Old West, the churches in the Carlisle Square, the statue of Molly Pitcher and Carlisle Theatre.

She asked council to seek a dialogue with Penn State officials on the preservation, renovation and expansion of Trickett Hall rather than demolition.

Supporters applaud remarks

Shunk’s remarks drew loud applause from the crowd of supporters who turned out at borough hall to make an impression on borough officials.

Penn State officials propose to demolish Trickett Hall at South College and West South streets to make way for a possible three-story building constructed in a modern architectural style.

That design was chosen by a university committee from among four designs created by Polshek Partnership Architects of New York. The design won’t become official until the Penn State trustees approve.

"We appreciate your passion on this," Council President Donald Grell told the Trickett Hall supporters. "This is a very prominent building in our community."

Borough’s options limited

But Grell also said that the borough’s options are limited, adding: "Penn State is making a very substantial investment in our community."

Vice President Linda Cecconello suggested council send a letter to Penn State President Graham Spanier and law school Dean Philip McConnaughay asking them to meet with the concerned citizens and members of borough council.

Councilman Perry Heath said what Penn State is proposing is "like putting a square peg in a round hole. Trickett Hall needs to be saved... at least the facade if not the whole building."

Timothy Wachter, Dickinson School of Law’s student "ambassador" on borough council, said he initially supported Penn State’s proposal but later changed his mind.

"I could not imagine associating myself with the current version of the plan," Wachter said.

No one spoke in favor of Penn State’s plans at Thursday’s borough council meeting.

But a Dickinson School of Law administrator said earlier Thursday that preliminary plans are still evolving.

"We haven’t come up with a final plan for Carlisle," said Nancy Lamont, assistant dean for administration.

She said preliminary plans were posted on the wall at Trickett Hall to allow people to offer comments and that the architects are considering those comments as the design progresses.

"We’re continuing to move forward, meet with the architects and review and revise plans," she said.

Lamont said she couldn’t offer a specific timetable on when the law school will apply for approval of the plans.

Meanwhile, Shunk told council the committee to save Trickett Hall has collected more than 2,500 signatures on petitions, many of which were collected last weekend during First Friday and the Amani Festival last weekend in downtown Carlisle.

She added that brochures produced for the upcoming Old Neighborhoods League house tour will include a mention of Trickett Hall, encouraging people to go see the building.

Group fights to save law school's Trickett Hall

Group fights to save law school's Trickett Hall
Friday, May 12, 2006
BY ELIZABETH GIBSON
Of Our Carlisle Bureau

CARLISLE - Preservationists yesterday asked Gov. Ed Rendell to persuade Penn State University to build a facility for The Dickinson School of Law that incorporates Trickett Hall.

They said plans to raze the 88-year-old building snub state and federal preservation goals.

More than 2,500 petition signers appear to agree.

Rendell was in Philadelphia yesterday and hadn't seen the Save Trickett Hall group's letter, petition and drawing of a proposed new facility, a spokeswoman for the governor said.

The sleek, steel structure in preliminary drawings clashes with the neighborhood, strays from state preservation goals and ignores Carlisle's White House designation as a Preserve America town, the group contends.

"We are passionate about our historic buildings," the preservationists stated in the letter to Rendell. Trickett "is the structure that is intimately connected with the tradition of Pennsylvania's oldest law school. It is part of the historic and architectural fabric of Carlisle. Its demolition would be an enormous loss to many."

Last night, the Carlisle Borough Council voted to ask Penn State to address concerns about Trickett.

"I honestly can't imagine anything else on that corner," said Linda Cecconello, council vice president.

Yet, some fear a fight to protect Trickett could bring a Penn State backlash, prompting the university to pull out of Carlisle.

Penn State President Graham Spanier said last night the university has and will continue to consider community input on a facility. And protests, although coming on the heels of a protracted struggle with Carlisle, won't shake the university's commitment to the town.

"This has indeed been a frustrating process, but our final decision will seek to be in the best interests of the law school, the university and the community," he said.

Penn State merged with the law school in 2000. A 2003 bid to move Dickinson to State College drew public fury. Now a sister school will be built there and the Carlisle school will be upgraded.

Save Trickett members said they feel duped as plans showed Trickett would be preserved. Bringing it down, "is a radical reversal ... without proper communication to the community," they said.

Their effort is gaining momentum. More than 2,500 have signed a petition and thousands have visited the www.savetricketthall.com Web site.

Dickinson College, which isn't affiliated with the law school, hasn't denounced Penn State's plan, but it posted Save Trickett petition information on its Web site until yesterday.

New facility plans would require borough approval, but a permit to raze Trickett would come from the state Labor and Industry office. Penn State hadn't sought a permit as of yesterday.

Save Trickett members hope there's still time to re-work the project.

They said the planned contemporary building would contradict a Pennsylvania Keystone Principles goal to rehabilitate historic buildings and neighborhoods.

And, they said, it would sully Carlisle's standing with Media and Montgomery County as the state's only Preserve America communities. Congress will spend up to $5 million this year on the program's preservation efforts.

Joe Elias contributed to this report. ELIZABETH GIBSON: 249-2006 or egibson@patriot-news.com