Renovations to the Law School's Silverman Hall are slated for completion by next fall, just in time for the facility's centennial anniversary celebration in November 2000. The building, formerly known as Lewis Hall, has been undergoing renovations since mid-May as part of an $11.2 million project designed both to restore the building's original turn-of-the-century motif as well as modernize its mechanical and electrical systems to make it more functional for future use. According to outgoing Law School Dean Colin Diver, the project includes the restoration of the building's entire exterior and entranceway; taking up the current linoleum floor and putting down the original marble mosaic pattern; replacing windows; providing additional space for classrooms and conference rooms; and improving accessibility to the building. "My ambition since coming here was to try to undo some of the renovations that were done in the '60s," Diver said. Last February, University Trustee and 1964 Penn Law graduate Henry Silverman donated $15 million to the school, marking the largest gift ever given to an American law school. Between 1/3 and 1/2 of the donation was intended to go towards the restoration of the Silverman Hall, the original Law School building on 34th Street between Sansom and Chestnut streets. Additionally, a separate construction project, made possible by a $2 million donation last May from 1972 Law graduate Paul Levy and his wife Karen, is being used to fund the Paul and Karen Levy Conference Center in Sharswood Hall, the south reading room of the old Biddle Law Library. "Fortunately, the two gifts were finalized within months of each other, so that we could incorporate the two projects into a single construction project," Diver said. The Levy facility will include a state-of-the-art lecture hall, a multi-purpose reception hall and a full service kitchen. It will also feature rear projection technology as well as voice-activated cameras. The new mechanical and electrical systems will be "compatible with the historical architecture of the building," according to Patrick Burkhart of Shalom Baranes Associates, the Washington, D.C.,-based architectural firm that has been responsible for coordinating the restorations. An additional feature of the renovations is the activation of the 34th Street entrance to the facility, which had been closed for more than a dozen years. Diver said no additions will be made to the exterior of the building since the emphasis of the project is on restoration rather than new construction. According to Diver, most of the renovations and restorations are being made during this summer and will continue next summer so as not to interfere with the daily activities of Law students and professors. Diver called the project a "slight inconvenience" for those who utilize the building during the summer. Twelve Law professors whose offices are in Silverman Hall have been relocated during the summer months but will return to their regular offices once classes begin in the fall. And although most of the renovations will take place during the summer, and not during the academic year, officials are still confident that the project will be completed before the November 2000 centennial ceremony. "We're right on schedule," said Joe Policarpo, the Law School's associate director of facilities. The recent renovations represent the second in what could be a series of phases of construction. Phase I, which began in 1993 and ended three years later, resulted in the restoration of the building's interior spaces, including classrooms and the basement, which the law clinic uses as its mock-trial room.
The Daily Pennsylvanian is an independent, student-run newspaper. Please consider making a donation to support the coverage that shapes the University. Your generosity ensures a future of strong journalism at Penn.
DonatePlease note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.
