HELSER HALL

In January 1954 the President included a new men’s dormitory, with an estimated cost of $1,800,000 on the list of housing needs.¹ By late 1955 authorization to arrange financing was approved and the architect was chosen.² The project moved rapidly and construction of the 600-man hall was started in May 1956.³

The decision had been reached before the planning stage that this hall would not be provided with dining room and kitchen, but instead that the residents would eat meals at Friley Hall. This permitted a more economical construction.

The name “Helser Hall” was assigned in honor of Dean Maurice D. Helser, at the Board meeting of Feb. 7-8, 1957. It was first occupied in September 1957.⁴

Increasing enrollments created the need for more housing and plans for an addition were initiated in late 1960. By February of 1961 plans were approved.⁵ Bids were received in May but were rejected when financing could not be arranged because of an impending suit by the Iowa Hotel Association against the Board to stop construction of an addition to the Memorial Union at the University of Iowa.⁶

By 1962 the legal problems had been settled, new bids on the Helser Hall addition were received and work started in late May or June. The project was completed and ready for use with the opening of the 1963 fall term.