Final phase of three-year mall renovation complete
By BERNIE COOK ’13
With the beginning of each new school year comes a whole host of changes. Students start fresh with no jugs, good grades, and maybe some fly kicks–as long as they’re not boat shoes. There are new teachers, and a new batch of cumbersome freshmen trudging nervously between classes. But perhaps the most noticeable change on campus this year has been the renovation of the mall.
The mall project was conducted in three separate phases, which may be surprising to those who only witnessed the main construction this summer. The first phase took place during summer 2010, when a 6-inch water line surrounding Loyola Hall, dating to the 1890’s, was removed and replaced with a new pipe.
While students were enjoying their egg hunts and the torrential downpours that came with Easter break in 2011, more labor was exerted into improving the mall. Window wells around the Main Building were rebuilt in order to correct some minor drainage problems.
The third and final phase is that which everybody commonly recognizes, the finished product. Over the summer, a second water line from the early 1900’s running directly in front of the main building, was removed and replaced. The pipe had caused worry since the early 1990’s, when a serious inspection took place. It was concluded that if the water main were to break, the school’s doors would be closed anywhere from 3-6 months (not that the students would be complaining) due to severe flooding. The project reached completion before students arrived on campus on August 22nd, bringing an aura of excitement to the school community.
The project cost around $900,000 (all three phases) according to Mr. Hendler, Director of Plant Services. There were anywhere from six to 24 workers constructing the mall daily, depending on the task.
The new mall has a number of aesthetic differences from the old version. A new sitting wall has become a popular meeting spot. Evenly aligned and leveled bricks offer more secure footing. New benches surround an impressive concrete casting of the SIHS seal. Between the main building and the Clavius Science Center rests a portion of the bricks from the “old mall,” which not only add to the appearance, but represent over twelve decades of St. Ignatius history. The bricks were once part of the original street that divided the campus, dating back to the late 19th century.
Father William Murphy, St. Ignatius President, voiced his approval of the finished product: \”I love it. Absolutely love it. It’s the main hallway of our school, which is unique. It is an important space.”
