<per Sayles Revitalization Project, which started last spring, is expected to come to an end Thursday, October 9th, after $165,000 worth of new furniture, lights, carpet, and paint and the rearranging and removing of the video games, a ping-pong table and the pool tables. The ten new tables along the walkway and one more couch set, which will be the last pieces of furniture minus two chairs, are expected to arrive on the ninth.
During the summer construction, the two pool tables, both around 60 years old, were broken when workers moved them, said Kirk Campbell, the Director of the Maintenance and Custodial Services and one of the Project Managers. Repairs would cost as much as a new table and CSA, the owners of the pool tables, have yet to decide whether or how to replace them. Sam Ritter ‘10, CSA Treasurer is currently examining the logistics of repurchasing and leasing pool tables, said Charlotte Turovsky ‘10, CSA Senator.
The video games, leased by CSA, were removed due to lack of use. “CSA was losing money on the video games…[and the issue of what do to with them] was discussed over time last spring,” said Turovsky.
The ping-pong table is still in one piece and is being stored in the Arts Union along with all the other old furniture from Upper Sayles, said Campbell. Project leaders are still unsure where to put the table, he said, since concern has been raised as to where the balls might bounce and pose a threat to students sitting below. The rest of the old furniture will likely be stored until next summer, when the school will host its second annual furniture sale.
The project, funded jointly by the Administrative Council and Facilities started last spring, according to Fred Rogers, Vice President of the College and Treasurer, when the school hired alumn Amanda Hess, a Winter ’08 International Relations graduate, to consult the project. Over the spring, Amanda met and brainstormed ideas with Campbell, Interior Designer Lisa Gaveske, Robert Lamppa, the Director of Energy Management and Senior Project Manager, Rodgers, Hudlin Wagner, VP of Student Development and Dean of Students, CSA senators: Ben Barclay, Jinai Bharucha, and Turovsky, CSA President, Caitlin Flemming, and students. Student input for the project was gathered by tabling, CSA and a Facebook group.
The participants wanted to exchange Upper Sayles’s “clinical/ institutional look” for a more comfortable, study environment, said Campbell. The outcome is suppose to be like “a continuation of Forth Libe and the Rookery…a cozy study area, in case you have to pull an all-nighter” said Turovsky.
The changes hope to encourage the South Balcony to be the louder gaming, hang-out and TV area, while the Northern Section remains quieter for studying and group meetings. The Foosball table has been moved to the South Balcony along with new couches. Furthermore, if the pool tables and the ping-pong table are brought back, they will likely be put on the south side of Upper Sayles.
Along the walkway and around the north side of Upper Sayles, 16 more outlets have been placed for lamps and computers, with the aim to have better lighting and make it easier for people to move around. The carpet that was on the wall of the computer room has been removed and new chairs are expected for that room as well. Also, the copier has been moved to the computer room from the north side of Upper Sayles.
“I call [the summer changes] Phase 1, because at one point we had to cap it” and during the brainstorming process participants had a longer list of changes, from painting a mural to adding office space for student groups, said Campbell.
Another hope for the long term is that Sayles becomes a place where the whole campus can gather, said Turovsky.