Engineering aesthetics: Hoyt Hall gets a makeover

Grove City College has made architectural and aesthetic improvements to Hoyt Hall of Engineering.

The first-floor renovations to Hoyt Hall were designed by Pittsburgh architects Perfido, Weiskopf, Wagstaff & Goettel and completed in the summer of 2018 by MBM Contracting.

New tile replaced outdated flooring and modern lighting and a new drop ceiling were installed. Updated gray drywall, highlighted by touches of Grove City College crimson, was put up in place of dark wood paneling in the building’s lobby-study space. Modern tables and chairs that accent the improved color pallet were added, along with dry-erase boards to work out problems.  

“The renovations provide an updated space for collaborative work, with new tables, chairs, whiteboards and a video monitor to post announcements,” said Dr. Tim Mohr, professor of electrical engineering and interim dean of the Hopeman School of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics. “The space is much brighter than it was before. It is cheerier and more inviting

An additional aspect of the renovations is the new “pixelated” wall on the north side of the hallway in Hoyt Hall. Each block of the design was meticulously hand-painted by Reardon Painting, with the joints in between each block being taped off so the color would not bleed into the mortar between adjacent blocks.

A large “Engineering in Action” mural in the south lobby of Hoyt Hall, inspired by the faculty’s desire to demonstrate the fluidity of engineering, was created by Big Signs. It depicts students working on projects, doing research in the lab and the field and features Grove City College Racing’s celebrated Baja car.

The update hasn’t gone unnoticed by the budding mechanical, electrical and computer engineers who populate Hoyt Hall.

“Even engineering students have a bit of an aesthetic sense, so a little bit of color and more modern furniture will make it a more welcoming place to spend time,” Dr. Michael Bright, professor and chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said.

Hoyt Hall is named for Dr. Creig S. Hoyt, class of 1913, who as student, professor and dean spent 46 years on campus until his death in 1957. It was built in 1966. It is one of seven academic buildings on the College’s 180-acre residential campus.

Grove City College values stewardship of its financial and physical resources. The remodeling work on Hoyt Hall was part of a series of than $4 million worth of improvements made last year to upgrade and maintain campus facilities for current and future students.

Engineering aesthetics: Hoyt Hall gets a makeover

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