MAPLE, WILLOW AND LARCH HALLS AND COMMONS

Prior to the 1960’s student housing provided by the institution had always clearly separated the men’s and women’s areas with the men located on the west side of the campus and the women on the east. The first recorded change in this policy is seen in the IOWA STATE DAILY on October 25, 1961, when it was reported:

Co-educational living facilities are among expansion projects presently being planned in preparation for 13,000 students anticipated to be enrolled at Iowa State University by 1969, J.C. Schilletter, director of residence, revealed.

One thousand, two hundred men from one residence hall will share common dining, study and recreation facilities with 200 women from another hall by 1966, Schilletter said. These residence halls will be located on the intramural field at Lincolnway and Beech Avenue.

By August 1964 the project had reached a more positive planning stage and the architect had been retained. The project description for the first unit included the following statement:

The proposed building is the first structure of a complex of residence halls to be located east of the present women’s dormitory area and north of Lincoln Way. The complex is designed to permit continued growth, in increments of about 500 students, and when fully developed could provide housing and food service for approximately 3000 to 3500.¹

The first unit, Maple Hall, was designed without food service and with a capacity of 536 women who would go to other halls for meals. Contracts were awarded for construction in March 1965. In July and again in September the student paper reported that the project was behind schedule.²

A fire occurred on February 5, 1966, resulting in an estimated $15,000 to $20,000 damage to the still incomplete building, and causing further delay in completion.³

By July the paper could report that the roof was on the building, and occupancy was planned for December 1. The first residents moved into the building in early January 1967.

Planning for the second unit, Willow Hall, and the Commons was started in the summer of 1965. To save time a separate contract for installation of the piling to support the building was awarded in January 1967, and general construction contracts were entered into in May of that year.⁴ The tower was occupied in March 1969.

The Commons, directly connected to all three of the residence halls was in use by 1970.

The third tower, Larch Hall, was redesigned to some extent to modify it for use by men. The contracts for construction were executed in December 1968 and the building was occupied in 1971.