Baker Hall

Herrick Archives Number 095

A. IDENTIFICATION & LOCATION

1. Name

1.1 Officially named "Baker Hall" by Board of Trustees on January 8, 1940, In memory of Honorable Newton D, Baker,

1.2 Alternate names noted:

The original structure was built under architect's project number 3910, Name on drawings is "Men's Dormitory," Reference to "Men's Dormitory Unit" has also been noted.

The first addition (West Baker') was built under architect's project number 5515, The name on the drawings is "Addition to Baker Hall."

The second addition was built under' architect's project number 5540. The name on the drawings is "11th Avenue Residence Halls for Men." This included expansion of the kitchen and dining areas in Baker', as well as the construction of Stradley Hall (096), Park Hall (104), and Smith Hall (109).

Business Office reports list the food service facilities as "Baker Commons." 

All of the dormitories south of West 12th Avenue are frequently referred to as the "South Dorms."

See Addendum No 2, 4

2. Location

2.1  Located at 120 West 12th Avenue. See map below.

2.2 For greater detail, See Sheets 110 and III in the book of Campus maps in the University Archives.

For identification of other buildings shown. See Appendix A.

3. General Description

3. 1 Type of construction:

Reinforced concrete frame with concrete and brick exterior'.

3.2 No. of stories:

Basement and six floors

3. 3 Increments of construction:

Building has had two major additions--see sketch.

3.4 Present area of building as shown in inventory records of Division of Campus Planning:

218,726 sq. ft. gross;
137,821 sq. ft. net assignable

3.5 Volume of building:

2,348,445 cubic feet (PP)

See Addendum No. 3

B. PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION--ORIGINAL BUILDING

1. On September 12, 1938 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents for the excavation and tunnel as prepared by Howard Dwight Smith, University Architect, and authorized the solicitation of bids by contractors.

2. Bids were received on October 21, 1938 (T).

3. On November 5, 1938 the Board of Trustees approved the October 22, 1938 action of Cabinet awarding contracts to the following contractors:

Tunnel: E. Elford & Son

Excavation: C. Bartholemes

4. On February 13, 1939 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents for the building as prepared by Howard Dwight Smith, University Architect, and authorized the solicitation of bids by con¬tractors.

5. Bids were received on March 13, 1939 (T).

6. On April 13, 1939 the Board of Trustees approved the March 27, 1939 action of Cabinet awarding con¬tracts to the following contractors:

General: E. Elford & Son
Electrical: Electric Power Equipment Co.
Heating 8. ventilating: Huffman-Wolfe Co.
Plumbing: W. H. Spohn Plumbing Co.
Elevator: Warner Elevator Manufacturing Co.

7. Beginning of work:

Ground breaking for excavation occurred December S. 1938 (T 12/12/38).

8. Completion and occupancy:

8.1 Excavation contract completed January 20, 1939 (T 6/10/40).

8.2 Tunnel contract completed March 28, 1939 (T 6/10/40).

8.3 Board of Trustees on May 2, 1940 authorized the Secretary to issue certificates of inspection and acceptance of the work of the building contractors.

8. 4 The building opened September 15, 1940 (R 40-41: 33).

C. PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION--FIRST ADDITION (WEST BAKER)

1. On September 6, 1955 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents prepared by Howard Dwight Smith, University Architect, and authorized the solicitation of bids by contractors.

2. Bids were received on October 18, 1955 (T).

3. On November 14, 1955 the Board of Trustees approved the earlier Cabinet action awarding contracts to the following contractors:

General: Frank Messer B. Sons, Inc.
Electrical: Blum Electric, Inc.
Heating and ventilating: J. A. Guy, Inc.
Plumbing: C. W. Davis 8. Son, Inc.

4. Completion and occupancy:

The west wing was first occupied the Autumn Quarter of 1957 (H).

D. PLANNING & CONSTRUCTION--SECOND ADDITION
 

1.On November 12, 1956 the Board of Trustees approved the plans and related documents prepared by W. E. Linch, University Architect, and authorized the solicitation of bids by contractors.

2. Bids were received on December 19, 1956 (T).

3. On January 14, 1957 the Board of Trustees awarded contracts to the following contractors:

General: Garwick & Ross, Inc.
Electrical: McCarty Bros. Electric Co.
Heating and ventilating: Huffman-Wolfe Co.
Plumbing: C. W. Davis & Sons, Inc.
Kitchen equipment: Ruslander & Sons, Inc.

The kitchen equipment bids were later rejected and this part of the work was rebid on June 27, 1957. On July 8, 1957 the Board of Trustees again awarded this contract to Ruslander &. Sons, Inc.

4. Completion and occupancy:

Substantially complete September 8, 1958 and occupied September 29, 1958 (T 2/10/59). 

E. COST

1. As of June 30, 1942, after all bills for initial construction were paid, this building was listed in the Business Office reports at $791,250.91.

2. The West Baker Addition and the kitchen and dining room addition were never listed separately in the Business Office reports, but they are presumably the major basis for an increase of $784. 970. 04 in the 1967-68 report, bringing the building total to $1,576,220.95.

3. Business Office reports list the food service facilities separately at $844,966.82, making the current total $2,421, 187.77.

F. MISCELLANEOUS
 

1. Reference to two off-campus rooming houses called "Baker Hall" have been noted, one in 1916 at 65 13th Avenue and the other in 1924-25. (Letter in archives, Dean Breyfogle to President Thompson, October 14, 1916 and R 24-25: 87.) It is possible that both references are to the same house.

2. The plans for Steeb Hall (141) included an East Baker addition as an alternate, but it was not built.

3. Initially Baker was designed as a men's dormitory. Later it was occupied by women until they moved to Bradley (097) and Patterson (103) in January 1955. On September 7, 1959 the Board of Trustees awarded contracts for remodeling Baker Hall to convert the building to a coeducational dormitory with women in the east end and men in the west (architect's project number 5902). This work was substan¬tially completed and partially occupied on September 15, 1959 (A).

G. PHOTOGRAPHS

1. In Photoarchives:

X 1047--original building from northeast
X 7658--original building from south
X 7659--1st addition under construction

John H. Herrick
May 11, 1972

ADDENDUM NO. 1

Additional addresses for this building, as shown in old records of the Office of Campus Planning are:

93 West 12th Avenue (East Wing)
147 West 12th Avenue (Food Service)

John H. Herrick
February 5, 1976

ADDENDUM NO. 2

Inspection of old campus maps reveals the following additional name for this building:

Men's Residence Hall

John H. Herrick
November 13. 1979
 

ADDENDUM NO. 3

Campus Planning records now show the net assignable area of this building as 136,459 square feet.

John H. Herrick
February 7, 1985

ADDENDUM NO. 4

This building is now carried in Campus Planning records as Newton D. Baker Hall. The official name remains "Baker Hall." .

John H. Herrick
August 26, 1986