Here’s a second set of images from the box of campus construction negatives I ran across a few weeks ago. These show what was originally called “Math Sciences” going up beginning in the summer of 1967 and continuing through the fall. This first one was taken in May, looking towards the engineering buildings, and the rest go chronologically through September. (I have another set of pictures of the end of construction, complete with some interior shots, so you can look forward to that.)
I still scratch my head sometimes about why they decided to put this where they did. Why not (just to note one possibility) put it where the Mechanical Engineering Building is today and create a quad? It seems to have been dropped down almost randomly. Clearly the original campus plan had been abandoned at this point, but it doesn’t look like any coherent replacement had been settled on.
In any event, we’re about to lose more of that parking lot.
But what’s this? Benches!
Bonus: I suspect those benches made their way over to Valhalla also.
I remember those benches in front of Hamman Hall, and I remember seeing their remnants in the sidewalk after they moved. Now probably subsumed by Brockman Hall
Five Volkswagens – no waiting.
My impression at one point was that a decision had been made to put new buildings on top of existing parking lots.
There were benches at both ends of the large lawn that ran from Hamman Hall down to the street — the space now occupied by George R. Brown Hall. I believe that street used to be called Pittman Row.
Pingback: Math Science Plans, 1966 | Rice History Corner