South Housing Update

By Cynthia Gilbert

Restoration of Caltech's South Houses, a pivotal component of undergraduate student life for more than 75 years, began after Commencement 2005 and is slated for completion at the end of 2006.

The South Houses restoration project will not only preserve historically and architecturally significant elements of the facility, it will also allow Caltech to implement much-needed improvements to the building's data and telecommunications systems, enhance accessibility for students with special needs, upgrade the servery and general infrastructure, meet current seismic and fire safety codes, and increase resource efficiency.

In the early stages of the restoration, construction crews uncovered an unexpected challenge. The maze of pipes below ground was insulated with asbestos, and the tedious removal of the hazardous material became a top priority. When crumbled, asbestos has the same density as cigarette smoke; thus, the area needed to be isolated and the material safely disposed of. With that process complete, crews can now concentrate on laying the groundwork for improving the facility's infrastructure.

With the renovations costing more than $36 million, fundraising for the South Houses is a top priority. Building momentum for this effort is the Fleming House Restoration Steering Committee, led by Caltech Trustee Alex Lidow (BS '75), who spent his undergraduate years in the house. Nearly 50 Fleming House alumni, whose class years range from 1936 to 2006, attended an event held at Dr. Lidow's home. Fellow "Flems" reminisced and reconnected over brunch amidst architectural sketches foretelling the project's completion.

Another steering committee is now being assembled for Ricketts House. Tom Tyson (BS '54) will be enlisting the help of his former housemates and this group will surely be determined to "up the ante." The committee members' enthusiastic support and commitment are crucial to the successful completion of this fundraising campaign in December, at the same time construction crews are scheduled to drop their hammers.

Almost $7.5 million has been raised in support of the South Houses restoration. For more information about the project and how you can help our fundraising effort, please contact Robyn Puntch at 676-395-6832.