Alums to fund renovations of Palestra

Class of '71 will construct media and VIP room Twenty-five years ago, Penn's basketball team was undefeated and ranked second in the country. In honor of continuing the basketball tradition at the Palestra, the Class of 1971 has decided to donate funds for its 25th reunion to create a VIP and media room. The room will replace the make-shift press room located behind the visiting bleachers and is part of a larger renovation plan for the Palestra, according to Athletic Director Steve Bilsky. "I think it makes sense to have an athletic gift happen when your athletic director is a member of the Class of '71," Bilsky said. "It's a natural mix." The entire floor level -- including the basketball locker rooms -- will be renovated, Bilsky added. John Aikman Architects, a Pennsylvania architecture firm, is working on the design for the renovations. The blueprints have yet to be approved by the building committee, according to Facilities Project Planner Bah-Bai Makenta. After the design is approved, facilities personnel can then determine a timetable for the renovations, he added. According to Virginia Clark, vice president of development and alumni relations, the University has a list of priority projects from which alumni classes can choose when they are deciding upon reunion gifts. "The classes know that what they want to do is to raise money that is supportive of the University, and these are the projects that are supportive of the University's goals and objectives," Clark said. The VIP and media room were part of that list, and currently the athletic department does not have any other projects listed, she added. According to a '71 alumnus who wished to remain anonymous, the class had originally considered donating money to create outdoor basketball courts for students. But that project was not on the wish list, and therefore the class could not sponsor that project. "The classes are not really in a full position," he said. "We aren't able to come in saying we want to do this." Bilsky said he was not aware that the class board had discussed the possibility of outdoor basketball courts. "From my involvement when the idea of the Palestra was first brought up, it was very enthusiastically received and I had not heard any other athletic concept mentioned," Bilsky said. The Palestra renovation donation is one of four gifts that are part of the Class of 1971's $850,000 fundraising drive. The class is also funding the transformation of section of Van Pelt library into an electronic study lounge. In addition, the class is establishing two endowed gifts -- a scholarship fund and an undergraduate research fund.