Welcome to The Storrs Before, where we cover the architectural history of Storrs, Connecticut! This week our history mystery is Brien McMahon Hall. What did it originally look like? How did it change over time?
Before:
Back in the early 1960s, The University of Connecticut began construction on a new all-female dormitory. The building would consist of two towers that could hold nearly 300 women in each wing. In the center, a unifying dining hall was created. The building was planned for Hillside Road and, in its preliminary stages, was affectionally called “Hillside Hall.” The floor plans for the building described a seven-story dormitory. Each floor had 21 rooms, including two valet rooms for irons and housekeeping supplies. An open-concept lounge was placed in the center of the building, which overlooked the dining hall below. The construction plans came to fruition, and the dorm opened up in 1964 with some modifications.
Dorm Troubles:
Throughout the same years McMahon Hall was constructed, UConn had a problem: the university could not provide all their male students housing. This was due to a decision that was made to organize all of the incoming freshmen into one residential area. At the time, UConn was experiencing a higher dropout rate for freshmen than normal and wanted to provide accessible counseling services for them.
The selected residential area was the North Campus Quadrangle, where sophomores, juniors and seniors lived at the time. When this announcement was made in early 1964, non-freshmen were forced to find other housing on campus for the next semester. Some went to Towers, and some went to fraternity housing; however, there were still men to be relocated. A decision was made by the administration to place 280 men into one wing of the Hillside dormitory, officially creating the first co-ed dormitory in Storrs campus history.
Opening:
When the dormitory opened, it was very modern for its time. The walls displayed popular art of the century, and drawings of cartoons were placed in the windows of the dining hall. The dining hall itself adopted a new “T-shaped” system of food delivery, which would be able to serve four groups of people at a time. Additionally, Hillside was the first to implement the conveyor-belt dish system that is in all current dining halls. The furniture for the lounge area consisted of fine lamps, couches and tables. Since the lounge area was above the edges of the dining hall, railings were placed on the sides so students could look over.
Briefly after opening, the hall was renamed after former Senator Brien McMahon, a Democrat who worked alongside William Benton representing Connecticut. An event was held to celebrate the name in the mid-60’s. Everyone was pretty enthusiastic about the new hall, but it quickly began to have its problems. In only a few years, McMahon Hall suffered from sticky doors and creaky elevators. There were also high reports of vandalism. By the 2000s, the building was considered outdated, and the dining hall was too small. Plans for renovations began in the early 2010s.
After:
In 2012, McMahon went under massive reconstruction. The four elevators were replaced for the first time since 1964, and the dining hall was expanded. A new glass exterior was added to the front of the building. “Display kitchens” were also added so students could interact with the chefs as they made their food. Different international sections were created with the intention of providing students with more diverse food options to choose from.
In my own research, I found that there are still some remnants of the original 1960s architecture. For example, the women’s bathrooms still have the original pink tiling. I additionally found a colorful couch fabric that looks to be from the old lounge areas. If you’re walking around the area, see if you can spot any old features!