Amid lightly falling snow and record low temperatures yesterday, the facilities crew of Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary moved 19 students from the Schlegel Hall dormitory to the newly constructed studio apartments.
In preparation for the move, students packed up their belongings and labeled them for sorting at the new building. An additional crew of 15 was hired to help carry boxes, furniture, and large items from the first-, second-, and third-floor dorm rooms. After loading three moving trucks in less than five hours, the crew drove to the housing side of the campus to distribute the parcels of these new neighbors to each assigned apartment.
It was clockwork maneuvering, and by early afternoon, students were welcomed into their warm, shining dwellings with a “green light” to begin unpacking.
Yesterday’s move was the first major accomplishment in a two-year project to provide better studio housing for the students and renovate the under-utilized Schlegel Hall.
“Our plans call for the addition of four classrooms to Schlegel Hall and the conversion of the remainder of the building to faculty office space, break out rooms, and a dedicated student lounge,” said Patrick Cecil, Chief Financial Officer for the Seminary.
"This renovation project allows us to move faculty members from temporary offices, created four years ago. It also allows us to build classrooms with individual HVAC controls, modern technology components, and better acoustics. Our current plans call for the building to be complete and ready for occupancy by November 30, 2007,” said Cecil.
Despite the cold weather, the warmth of goodwill and excitement was inescapable within the community. Displaced students were cared for by members of the Seminary Council and student body, who provided breakfast, lunch, games, and a place to wait out the move.
The move was also well timed. With January term classes over the previous week, the transition was handled before the spring semester will begin on Thursday, February 8.
Amy Robinson, who lived in the old dorm her first year at LPTS, said her new apartment is simply, “fantastic,” highlighting, in particular, access to her own kitchen, “with a refrigerator and stove and everything,” she added.
Second-year student Emerald “Emmy” Skirvin was appreciative of the moving process. “Everything went so smoothly and the rooms are just beautiful. I am more than pleased with the outcome of everything and am very happy in my new place,” she wrote in an email to the Seminary community.
Eric Wright, who will begin his first semester at LPTS on Thursday, arrived on campus from Iowa, just in time to spend his first night in the new studio apartment. “They’re very nice,” he said during new student orientation, “I’m going to like it here a lot.”
To learn more about the new building and renovation project, visit: renovation news release
To view images,” visit: Moving Day Photo Gallery