MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
This building is composed of three units built at different times, but now forming a single structure. These units are discussed under their earlier names as headings.
MACHINE SHOP
Built: 1907-08
Architect: Proudfoot & Bird
Contractor: H.W. Schleuter
The Machine Shop was the first part of the laboratory to be built and forms the west portion of the present building. Plans were prepared early in 1907 and the construction contract was awarded in May of that year.1
“During the construction of this building the board became convinced that much additional room could be obtained at small additional cost by building a gallery around the main floor.” 2 An additional $1000 was made available for that construction and the building was completed in the summer of 1908.
STEAM AND GAS LABORATORY
Built: 1913-1914
Architect: Proudfoot Bird & Rawson
Contractor: C.E. Heaps
This unit includes the east 120 feet and north wing of the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory. The contract was let in October 1912, but construction did not start until the following spring.3 The 125 feet high smoke-stack of radial brick was built in conjunction with the laboratory. The stack was razed in 1978. The building was ready for occupancy in February 1914.4 This unit, too, had a second floor around the perimeter with a large area open from first floor to the roof.
ADDITION TO STEAM AND GAS LABORATORY
Built: 1936
Architect: A.H. Kimball
Contractor: James Thompson & Sons
This addition filled in the space between the two older buildings to make a single building for the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory. It was funded with $20,900 of State money and $17,100 from the Public Works Administration.
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
Since completion of the third unit the combination of the three structures in a single building has been identified as the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory. Extensive remodeling was undertaken in two stages between 1956 and 1961.
The first phase of the remodeling was done in 1956 from plans prepared by A.H. Kimball and constructed by James Thompson and Sons. The Board Minutes of May 1956 describe the project:
This project includes the construction of a reinforced concrete floor to close an open area between the second floor balconies in order to provide more usable floor space. It also includes a major repair of the roof of the building. The present roof is of a monitor-type framed with structural steel. The monitor windows are in bad condition, and it is proposed to alter the roof to a plain gable roof without monitors and to remove the windows entirely. The roof is covered with cement tile which are in bad condition and permit considerable leakage. These will be removed and a wood sheathing installed which will be shingled with composition or asbestos shingles. In addition, certain rooms in the north wing of the building will be finished for classroom use by installing ceilings, lighting and repainting …It is proposed to award contracts up to the maximum amount of funds available, $40,000, but this amount of money will cover only the basic work outlined above. This must be done in order to make the building weather-tight and to provide a floor for future subdivisions into rooms.
The above work was completed in February 1957.
In March, 1959, an appropriation of $50,000 was made for further remodeling:
This project will consist of remodeling to provide five more classrooms and to improve all of the existing classrooms in the building. The work will include construction of partitions, installation of plumbing, heating and ventilating services, rewiring and installation of fixtures in the remodeled areas, painting, and asphalt tile floors.5
Plans for this remodeling were prepared by the Physical Plant Department and construction work was by that department “on a job order basis for individual sections as they can be vacated.” 6
The final report, April 1962, showed a total cost of $51,757.86 expended on this second phase of remodeling.