I had some time last week to walk over and take a look at the newly renovated Mech Lab, now called Maxfield Hall in honor of Katherine and Bob Maxfield ’63, whose generous gift made the work possible. I was frankly trepidatious, as anything can happen with projects like this, but I have to say that I think this is a huge success. The architects, Bellows Construction, and our own crew at FE&P have done a remarkable job of maintaining the original character of the building while modernizing and vastly improving it as working space.
It still feels like Mech Lab, especially in the bigger public spaces. (Note the new elevator peeking out at right, which makes the whole building accessible to everyone):
But the office space looks dramatically fresher and brighter:
The transformation of the basement is especially impressive. You definitely know you’re in a basement but wow, this is way better:
And the two exterior stairways added on the back are spectacular, which is not something I thought I’d ever say about a staircase:
All in all, I really like it. My heart feels light and I’m declaring victory.
There are a couple of little tidbits that deserve a separate post so I’ll get that up tomorrow.
Bonus: Here’s Bob Maxfield among the Phi Beta Kappa initiates in the fall of 1962. I’m pretty sure he’s the one in the front row at far right.
