Now that the renovation of Williams Hall has been completed, foreign language professors and their classes were able to begin their first school year in the newly refinished building.
The approximately $5 million undertaking, which took place over the course of 13 months, was marked by two distinct projects -- the replacement of the building's windows and a complete overhaul of its air-conditioning and heating systems -- as well as the replacement of the roof.
The renovations were welcomed by those who know the building well. French professor Gerald Prince recalled that Williams Hall had been in "pretty bad shape" ever since it was built, remembering that the floors bubbled up only one week after the building was completed in 1972.
Over the summer and fall of 2003, the first three floors of Williams were renovated, and many of Penn's language classes were relocated to other buildings.
Early this year, students began to have classes again in rooms on lower floors, while workers finished the upper levels.
Design and Construction Management Director Mark Wilson said that, though construction is still ongoing, most of the work should be completed in the next two weeks.
During the refurbishing, "fa?ade issues [were] more extensive than anticipated," Wilson noted, adding that most of the remaining tasks are "punch list work" and need to be checked over.
Following graduation in May, language department personnel were relocated across campus while construction took place.
In order to provide adequate room for their offices, the University rented space from the University City Science Center, located on 36th and Market streets.
"The Contexts of Hispanic Civilization" coordinator Toni Esp--sito, one of many people forced to temporarily move out of Williams, said that the renovation was definitely needed.
"Before we left, it was really horrible," Esp--sito said, observing that the poorly functioning air conditioning made his office "unbearably hot," and that he was unable to open the windows to permit fresh air to circulate.
Now that work on the building is finished, the air conditioning is working well, Esp--sito said.
"I'm really happy to be back. ... I have one of the nicest offices in Williams Hall," he added.
The newly renovated Williams Hall is "much better than our spaces at Market Center," Esp--sito said, though having to be relocated "wasn't all that inconvenient."
Prince found the transition a little more difficult, saying that having to "move is always a little bit annoying. ... [I] had to pack everything myself, [and] it took away from my time I could have spent more fruitfully on scholarly and academic matters."
Faculty members continued to meet with students, most frequently at the Penn Student Agencies Cafe in Williams.
According to PSA General Manager Katie Pyott, "There was a decrease in [cafe] business." The cafe reopened yesterday.
