Perelman Quad work moves ahead

Years of noise, dirt and eyesores caused by the construction of the Perelman Quadrangle project are not over yet, but the end is well within sight. Parts of Irvine Auditorium and Williams Hall will open as early as tomorrow, with more openings to the student center scheduled throughout the fall, University officials announced last week. Upon completion, the Perelman Quad -- an $82.5 million project that links Irvine Auditorium with Logan, Williams, Houston and College halls, and features a landscaped corridor between the buildings -- will be home to more than 250 student organizations, classrooms, administrative offices, student study space and several food service organizations. The entire project is slated to open in time for the graduation of the Class of 2000. "Perelman Quadrangle will be a treasured academic and student activities core for our vibrant campus community, and the dramatic restorations and new structures will nurture the quality of Penn's 'University life,'" Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum said. Irvine's main auditorium, which underwent renovations including the removal of the balconies and the installation of acoustic panels, will open tomorrow. The new auditorium will boast improved sound quality while preserving the look and historical importance of the old one, according to Tom Hauber, who will manage the Perelman Quad upon completion, though its seating capacity will be significantly reduced. The Silfen Study Center, located in Williams Hall, will also open tomorrow, providing a 24-hour study area for students. Hauber said the center will be accessible only to those with a PennCard from midnight to 7 a.m. It will be supervised during those hours, either by a Perelman Quad staff member or Spectaguard. "There will definitely be someone there," Hauber said. A cafe located in the study center is scheduled to open Tuesday and will be operated by Menlo Park, Calif.-based Bon Appetit Management Co. The cafe will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to midnight. Also scheduled to open by the start of classes are three meeting rooms and two student activity suites containing a total of 14 workstations equipped with desks and filing cabinets. All 14 workstations have already been booked by student groups through the Perelman Quadrangle Space Allocation Board, Student Life Director Fran Walker said. The suites also include counter and locker space for student use. By September 24, several other components of Irvine Auditorium will be completed, including the Carol Amado Recital Hall, the Emily Sachs Rehearsal Room and the Class of '58 Cafe, also to be operated by Bon Appetit. And by October 18, two meeting rooms -- each with a 28-person capacity -- and 12 music practice rooms, will also be completed and open for use.

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