Pierce Students Remain While Deconstruction Begins

By Matthew Goldenberg

Dec. 17, 2012

The University of Chicago began the first phase of its new North Campus plan this Thursday, commencing the demolition of Pierce Tower. Residents of Pierce will remain on the site through the demolition of the old building and the construction of the new.

For many students, this situation has caused grievances. A large majority were under the impression that they would be moved to other residence halls in the interim period while there is no habitable building on the Pierce/North Campus site. As designated by the University’s housing office in a release last quarter, this is not to be the case.

“”It wasn’’t so bad at first,”” said Pierce resident James Trobique, ““They started with the tenth floor. But now both the ninth and tenth floors are gone. I’’m on the eighth, so now I don’t have a ceiling. It kinda sucks.””

Trobique said he was forced to spend the night on the seventh floor due to heavy rain that kept him from sleeping in his bed, that had become soaked through. Other Pierce residents have complained that they would have liked to have known when their floor was due for demolition farther in advance.

““I went to class in the morning, and when I got back my room was gone,”” lamented Holly Jones, ““My computer, bed, posters, heck, all my possessions are gone!”” Jones also mentioned that the lines for the bathroom are getting increasingly long as the number of toilets dwindles.

University officials have been scrambling for a way to placate students troubled by the fiasco. Rumors circulated that students might be given free houses, tuition discounts, or even bicycles built by College Dean John W. Boyer himself. None of these turned out to be part of the transition plan. Dean Boyer announced this morning that during Winter Quarter, affected students will be offered free wilderness survival classes on-site.

““We hope this will make up for the the fact that we completely forgot people actually lived in Pierce,”” Boyer said, “”Besides, many kids are just unprepared to live in an open field during a Chicago winter with no dining hall.”” Boyer noted that the dining hall at Pierce is slated to close this week, before demolition is complete, in order to give staff enough time to transfer the popular Mongolian Grill station to President Zimmer’’s house “so it does not go to waste.” In addition, students will be given free safety helmets to wear once construction starts.

““The University wants to ensure student safety within the construction zone,”” Boyer said, ““Besides, those hard hats are going to be really trendy.””

As of press time, the Pierce demolition is scheduled to be completed next Monday, when all remaining toilets in the building will be flushed simultaneously.