MARSTON HALL

The legislature appropriated $150,000 for a new engineering building early in 1900. In May the trustees determined to invite architects to submit drawings in a competition. This is the only building on the campus for which selection of the architect was by competition based on design. Because of that unique procedure the rules of the competition are included here:¹

1. Cost of Building. The cost, including heating, lighting, and plumbing shall not exceed $150,000.

2. General Specifications. The general type of construction, the materials and other features shall be in accordance with the general specifications prepared by the college engineer and obtainable on application.

1. Floor Plans. The floor plans shall be in substantial accordance, so far as total area and the areas and general arrangements of the several rooms, with the floor plans now on file at the college, copies of which are obtainable on application.

2. Drawings. Each competing architect shall submit the following drawings: Front elevation, side elevation, rear elevation, longitudinal section, transverse section, plans of each floor, and perspective drawing.

3. Scale of Drawings. Drawings shall be made to the scale of ⅛ inch to one foot.

4. Rendering of Drawings. All drawings shall be finished in black and white, without borders or other irrelevant embellishments.

5. Specifications. With each set of plans there shall be submitted a set of general specifications, setting forth clearly all general structural features not shown on the drawings.

6. Memoir. With each set of plans there shall be submitted a memoir not exceeding 2000 words in length, setting forth succinctly the merits of the design.

7. Marking of Drawings, Specifications and Memoirs. All drawings, specifications and memoirs shall be plainly marked with a motto or emblem, and shall be accompanied by a sealed envelope, having on the outside nothing but the same motto or emblem, and containing on the inside the name and address of the architect submitting them. No other clue to the identity of the architect shall appear on any of the drawings or documents submitted.

8. Method of Specification. From the designs submitted the board of trustees, the president of the college and the heads of the engineering departments of the college will select the design to be adopted and built, unless no design submitted shall be by them considered worthy of adoption. From the remaining designs the second and third will then be selected in a similar manner. After this the sealed envelopes will be opened and the names of the architects announced.

9. Compensation. The architect of the adopted design will be employed as the architect of the building and shall receive for his service the sum of $2500. The architect shall perform the usual duties of an architect in connection with the building except the superintendence of the construction, which shall be done by the college engineer. The right is reserved to consult the architect by mail at all times without extra charge. The architect shall visit the college for consultation at the opening of bids and during the construction whenever requested by the college, and shall receive therefore the sum of $10. per day and travelling expenses. The architect submitting the designs selected as second and third best shall receive respectively the sums of $50. and $25.

10. Date. All designs for this competition must be placed in the hands of Secretary E.W. Stanton, Ames, Iowa, on or before 1:30 P.M., May 24, 1900.

Seven architects submitted designs to the Board at the meeting on May 24, 1900. Voting was held on the following day. Twelve board members together with engineering professors Marston, Bissell, Spinney and Beyer were present.

By unanimous decision the design by Proudfoot and Bird was selected as the first award. Second place was given to the design of Liebbe, Nourse & Rasmussen and third place to Hallett & Rawson. All three were Des Moines firms. Other entrants were Patton, Fisher & Miller, Chicago, J.C. Llewellyn, Chicago, Cox & Schoentgen, Council Bluffs, and Pearson and Makepeace, Des Moines.

Bids were received at the August 15-16, 1900, meeting of the Board and the contract for construction was awarded to Henry W. Schleuter, Chicago, for $153,000. The painting contract was awarded to A.N. Harding for $1800.

The original plans for the building had called for the exterior of the building to be face brick. A change to Bedford limestone was authorized at the March 1901 Board meeting at an increased cost of $4000.

The new Engineering Hall was occupied in January 1903.² Formal dedication took place the end of May.³

The elevator was installed in 1903 and final project cost of the building came to $218,647.71⁴

A blizzard late in January 1909 resulted in damage to the building. The ISC Student, Feb. 1, 1909 reported: “The asphalted roofing was ripped off Engineering Hall and pretty throughly distributed over the surrounding country while the skylights were also badly damaged.” A contract in the amount of $2786 was awarded to St. John & Barquist for roof repair in May.⁵

The Physics department and the State Highway Commission moved out of the building in 1924 and $4000 was allocated for repairs and improvements.⁶

The name Marston Hall was formally moved and accepted on July 1, 1947.

Extensive remodeling and repairs, including removal of the elevator, were made in 1955 at a cost of $45,000⁷ Further repair and remodeling projects were undertaken in 1972 and 1973.