Taylor Allderdice High School '98
Pittsburgh, Pa.
It's been more than 15 years in the making, but by the time members of the Class of 2004 arrive next fall, Penn will finally have a modern hub of student life right at the heart of campus.
According to University officials, the $87 million Perelman Quadrangle project -- which encompasses the renovation of five of Penn's most historic buildings -- will be finished this summer with the centerpiece of the project, the Houston Hall student union, open for business this fall when it hosts CUPID -- a New Student Orientation event -- in September.
Upon completion, the Perelman Quadrangle will link the University's Irvine Auditorium -- a facility for major concerts, lectures and campus-wide performances -- with the classroom and administrative buildings of Logan, Williams and College halls.
It will feature Wynn Common, a landscaped corridor linking the four buildings and will also be connected to the newly remodeled Houston Hall.
Houston Hall, the nation's oldest student union, will be home to more than 250 student and performing arts organizations, study space, card and copy shops, a video arcade and game room as well as a food court with a range of dining options.
"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 in an interview last year.
The facility is named after University Trustee Ronald Perelman, a wealthy financier who donated $20 million toward the project.
