(WBIR - Maryville) The oldest building on the campus of Maryville College is now the newest.
Wednesday morning, employees of the school got their first look at historic Anderson Hall after almost two years of being closed for renovations. The $7.6 million makeover has given new life to the 144-year-old centerpiece of campus.
"It looks like a brand new building, but we left one piece exposed so everyone can understand and appreciate that this is still that original structure underneath," said Maryville College President Tom Bogart as he pointed to a small opening in the drywall that reveals the structure's original bricks.
Anderson Hall was built in 1870, the first building constructed at Maryville College after the Civil War.
As staff filed in throughout the day, one of the first things to make an impression was the lack of impressions in the floor and stairs.
"The stairs and the floors had shown the wear of a lot of students and faculty walking on them over the years," said Bogart. "We wanted to keep these wonderful wide staircases, and we've done that in a way that they are beautiful and strong."
"The stairs were, uh, I think we can say a little bit rickety," laughed Andrew Irvine, a professor of philosophy and religion at Maryville College. "What I notice is they're not shaking, for one thing. It's wonderful."
Along with improved stairs, a major addition to Anderson Hall is the installation of an elevator.
"In the past, we've had students graduate who have never been on the third floor of Anderson," said Bogart. "That's just not right. We're really excited that anyone can access the entire building now without any physical obstacles."
Another change to Anderson is a lack of access to the attic by hundreds of unwanted residents. When renovations began in 2013, crews discovered a massive colony of bats in the rafters.
Anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 bats utilized the beams as a nursery during the summers. The animals were evicted and Maryville College installed new bat boxes at the outer edges of campus to provide a new habitat and research opportunities.
While the bats are gone from the attic, the school moved something in that Anderson Hall has never had: central heating and air conditioning.
"We had radiator steam heaters that clanked and clattered in my old office. There was no way to regulate them. It would be 85 or 90 degrees in there and I'd have the window open in the winter," said Irvine. "That's a tremendous plus [to have central heating and air]."
The old window-unit air conditioners are also gone from Anderson Hall. So are all of the old windows.
"We have 146 windows in this building. We replaced every one of them. And every one was a different size," said Bogart. "We have a lot of natural light in here now, and each one of these windows is energy efficient."
Anderson Hall also now has sprinkler systems and classrooms with the latest technology. But Maryville College made the upgrades without sacrificing the building's history or forgetting it's what is on the inside that counts.
"We want a place where our faculty and our students can come together, be comfortable, and collaborate," said Bogart. "It is important to be good stewards. To treasure what we've been given and really hand something off to the future that's even better."
Reporter's Note: While staff were intrigued by the new construction at Anderson Hall, they were also attracted to one of the oldest portions of the building. As they toured each floor, many found their way unguided to the attic and old wooden steps that lead to the bell tower. Below is a 60 second video of the climb up to the bell tower and the wonderful view from the highest point of Anderson Hall.
