By Hussein Ali Rifath
Blodgett Hall stands tall as one of the oldest buildings on campus, having opened in 1929 as one of Adelphi’s three original academic structures. Almost a century later, it plays more of an important role than ever by serving as the home to a variety of academic departments. It is also incredibly busy: more than 900 students are registered to take at least one class there this semester. And this summer, it was renovated to keep up with the changing times.
Joseph Battaglia, ‘05, ‘14, assistant vice president and project management officer at the University’s Project Management Office, cites the building’s aging condition as the main reason for the project.
“Because it [Blodgett Hall] is 94 years old, our Facilities and Project Management teams continually assess Blodgett Hall to determine its needs,” he said. “In recent years, we have upgraded various classrooms to continually modernize the building and meet the needs of Adelphi’s growing programs.”
The work this summer was focused on two areas: the first floor and the third floor.
Room 109 has been reworked from the ground up into a tiered lecture hall. The carpeting, wall paneling, seating, ceiling and lights have all been replaced to make for a more bright and inviting space with improved acoustics. Moreover, the sound system and projectors were upgraded. Above all of this, improving accessibility was a key concern.
“We cut a new entrance from the hallway and made the lecture hall more accessible for wheelchair users,” said Battaglia.
In the third floor, Room 310 was modernized into a professional photography lab, and its air conditioning and ventilation systems were overhauled.
All of these renovations have come as part of the University’s Long Term Campus and Facilities Plan, and Momentum 2. The goal is to ensure that the campus continues to meet the needs of the Adelphi community.
Battaglia took personal pleasure in seeing the renovations through.
“When I was an Adelphi student, I only had the opportunity to take two courses in Blodgett Hall, one of which was in Room 109, a now impressive lecture hall. I’m happy to say that Room 109’s redesign is one of my most satisfying projects because the room is so much more inviting, bright and conducive to learning—now more people can experience this terrific new space and more programs, and faculty can request to use it,” he said.