EDITORIAL: Purchase space for student use

Penn should buy the Christian Association building and renovate it to house the Castle's program. The building for sale has the ideal location for the CSLLP -- situated on the corner of Locust Walk and 36th Street. It would keep the CSLLP, on the Walk and highly visible to Penn visitors. With renovations, the building could be converted into a residence. If it proved unfeasible to house the CSLLP in the Christian Association, administrators should still purchase the building to house other student activities such as performing arts space. There is a large, high-ceiling room that, if renovated, could provide ample rehearsal space for theater groups. But performing arts space should be secondary to the possibility of putting the CSLLP in the Christian Association. The CSLLP will not have a home as of next year while there is already some options available to performing arts groups for rehearsal. There needs to be a stronger student presence on the Walk, and the purchase of the Christian Association would give administrators more space to allocate for student activities. Administrators shouldn't use the building for office space because of its prime location. And the University should buy the property as opposed to leasing the building to avoid the problems it faced when Psi Upsilon chose to return to its house, the Castle. Administrators need to take advantage of the opportunity presented by the sale of the Christian Association. There may not be another chance to obtain prime real estate in the center of campus. Students need the space, and the University can provide it.