SGA Proposes Fee for Athletic Facility

[Dawg06]

What "looks nice" is incredibly subjective, and very influenced by trends / fashion. The pyramids at Giza look like crap too, but nobody's talking about tearing them down. Heck, you're ugly as a bowling shoe, but that's not a reason to off you.

As for cost -- yes. Most worthwhile things usually do cost more.

Find someone in Ruston who is glad all those homes between Trenton & Vienna are gone. Find a Tech grad who thinks its nifty that Old Main is lost forever. But I bet destroying them was dirt cheap!

Old Main burned down. It wasn't demolished.

[Houston Techsan]

Several years ago I was sitting next to some San Jose St. fans at the Joe and they asked me how old Tech was. It didn't seem very old to them based upon the buildings they had seen. I guess the oldest buildings now are 1)the Old Art Building (originally library) 2) Keeney and 3)Bogard. Keeney and Bogard are both 1930's, I believe. Two older buildings were torn down on the quad to make room for the Bookstore Addition. They were not particularly impressive -- Probably 1915-1920 plain. Also Lomax was torn down for the TOWER. I remember during one rainstorm a part of the roof on Lomax collapsed.

[TechAlum05]

Several years ago I was sitting next to some San Jose St. fans at the Joe and they asked me how old Tech was. It didn't seem very old to them based upon the buildings they had seen. I guess the oldest buildings now are 1)the Old Art Building (originally library) 2) Keeney and 3)Bogard. Keeney and Bogard are both 1930's, I believe. Two older buildings were torn down on the quad to make room for the Bookstore Addition. They were not particularly impressive -- Probably 1915-1920 plain. Also Lomax was torn down for the TOWER. I remember during one rainstorm a part of the roof on Lomax collapsed.

Don't forget the Ropp Center (former President's house) and Howard Auditorium.

[809miss]

When I was in school I just voted for whatever Dawg06 told me to.

[Champ967]

Big difference between early 20th century colonial style homes or even institutional structures like Old Main and mid-sixties high rise dorms both in terms of aesthetics and functionality - no comparison. The high rises need to go.

Old styles always come back around.

At the time Neilson was built, Keeney was the ancient eyesore.

[Champ967]

Old Main burned down. It wasn't demolished.

ear elephant

It was razed on the cheap.

[NathanDarby]

Champ967 just has a warm fuzzy spot for communist apartment blocks. He also prefers the looks of Yugos and Ladas to Ferraris and Aston Martins.

[Champ967]

Champ967 just has a warm fuzzy spot for communist apartment blocks.

Your mother has a warm fuzzy spot.

[DellDawg]

Your mother has a warm fuzzy spot.

[Champ967]

OK, what I probably should have said was --

I have a warm fuzzy spot for history. The history of our University, as well as of Ruston, of Louisiana and of America. Even the parts that aren't pretty are still part of the story.

Approximately 2 decades after WWII, American universities were inundated with a flood of incoming students. The Baby Boom, coupled with the GI Bill and a sustained expansion of the US economy, created a demand for college education for which few instutions were prepared. Louisiana Tech responded to this demand by constructing four high rise dormitories, of which three still stand. Two generations of Tech students lived some of the best days of their lives in these structures.

[detltu]

OK, what I probably should have said was --

I have a warm fuzzy spot for history. The history of our University, as well as of Ruston, of Louisiana and of America. Even the parts that aren't pretty are still part of the story.

Approximately 2 decades after WWII, American universities were inundated with a flood of incoming students. The Baby Boom, coupled with the GI Bill and a sustained expansion of the US economy, created a demand for college education for which few instutions were prepared. Louisiana Tech responded to this demand by constructing four high rise dormitories, of which three still stand. Two generations of Tech students lived some of the best days of their lives in these structures.

So we should definately keep them around forever. There are other ways to preserve the history of those times at Tech than to keep buildings up just because many students had good memories there. I am all about preserving history if it can be done in a way that enhances the campus. The challenge with these things is assessing how much historical value they provide and how useful they can be when renovated vs. the value they provide by starting over.

[Houston Techsan]

AsI stated before I lived in both Carruthers and Nielsen when they were new. They were thrown up to accomodate the great influx of baby boom students. I watched them build both. Mostly just concrete structure (steel reinforced of course) with concrete block to fill in between the pillars and divide the rooms (one concrete block wall every two rooms). The red brick was added for decoration. They were comfortable and useful but not historic. If they can be renovated do it. If not, tear them down, but don't let them sit there and be an eyesore.

[Champ967]

They were comfortable and useful but not historic.

Which year did history stop?

[Cool Hand Clyde]

Which year did history stop?

What do you think about this building?

[LThoo]

800px-Former_Neilson_Hall_at_LA_Tech_IMG_3707.JPG

I'm having trouble fathoming why you're lobbying to preserve that eye sore. Its ugly as sin, its in a prime location on campus and rather than renovate an 11 story rectangle... the space can be used more efficiently for other buildings that better identify with the theme of the campus.