Fisher-Bennett open for classes

Classes began yesterday in the newly-refurbished Fisher-Bennett Hall, and though signs of the not-quite-complete construction remain, most students and professors seemed happy with new facilities.

After a year and a half of work and $23 million in funds from the University, construction has been completed in 22 of the building's 26 classrooms.

The building currently houses the English Department, the College of General Studies' English language program, the Cinema Studies program and the Music Department's performance and rehearsal spaces.

"This was a very old building that had gone 40 to 50 years without any major improvements" said Vice Dean for Finance and Administration Ramin Sedehi. "A complete overhaul of the infrastructure needed to be done."

Construction continued today throughout the hallways of the building as workers finished up painting and other jobs.

Sedehi explained that aside from these spaces and some "touch-up things" the project is almost entirely complete.

The new undergraduate study center and four seminar rooms on the second floor, in addition to several rooms on the fourth floor, currently remain unfinished. All are set to open within the next two weeks, Sedehi said.

The ongoing work caused disruption for some.

"There were a lot of construction workers around, and it was pretty noisy," College sophomore Aly Gibson said. She also said that the numbering of the classrooms throughout the building was out of order, making many rooms difficult to locate.

College sophomore Simone Blaser's experience in the building was a more positive one.

"The building was clearly unfinished, but it didn't have an effect on my class," Blaser said. "It was nice to have a central location for the English Department. For the past year we've been hopping around from building to building."

English professors also seemed happy to finally have a permanent home on campus.

"It's going to be fantastic," said English Professor Margreta de Grazia. "There's a new sense of openness and light. It brings a new vitality to the English Department."

Changes to both the building's architecture and technology have impressed faculty and students alike.

The building's custom-designed seminar rooms are outfitted with flat screen computers and high-tech projectors and wireless internet access is available throughout the building.

The space once occupied by Penn's women's gymnasium has been converted into the Rose Recital Hall, which will be used for classes and recitals upon its completion. While the space once contained a nine-and-a-half-foot tall drop ceiling and no windows, it is now "a dramatic room with a 26-foot ceiling," Director of Facilities Tom Ewing said.

For many, the remodeling provides more than just aesthetic benefits. Prior to the renovations, there was not enough space on campus to accommodate the growing cinema studies program.

"This is a dream come true for us because cinema studies never really had a home before these developments," Cinema Studies Program Director Timothy Corrigan Corrigan said.

An open house to celebrate the opening of the building will be held on January 20 from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. According to Boehmcke, the festivities will include a variety of poetry readings and readings held by creative writing students, performances by music students and film screenings.

Open at last - Fisher-Bennett Hall is open after a year and a half renovation, but some work is ongoing - The building houses the English Department, as well as Cinema Studies and rehearsal and performance space

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