2015 Hub Publication

PENN STATE HUB-ROBESON CENTER1955 - 2015

NEWLY RENOVATED FOR TODAY’S

CAMPUS COMMUNITY

A TOWN&GOWN PUBLICATION

There’s one more thing yet to be built in the Hub....And we need THON alumni to build it.

PENN STATEDANCE MARATHON AIG MOSAIC


YOUR PHOTO WILL BE PART OF A PERMANENT 10FT x 8FT MOSAIC MURAL AT THE PSU HUB

Don’t miss your chance to have your favorite photoincluded in the Dance MaraTHON AIG Mosaic!

In exchange for a small donation, you will receive:- the opportunity to upload a photo of your choice to the mosaic- your photo in the online interactive mosaic- your photo in the permanent mosaic mural displayed in the HUB

The DMAIG Mosaic is a fundraising project benefiting THON ™ and the effort to conquer childhood cancer.

HOW IT WORKS...



In exchange for a small donation, you will receive:- the opportunity to upload a photo of your choice to the mosaic- your photo in the online interactive mosaic- your photo in the permanent mosaic mural displayed in the HUB

To upload your photo, visit dmaigmosaic.orgSpace is limited!

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Stay Connected_T&GFirstNight_2013.indd 1 8/29/14 2:47 PM

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8 History of the HUB12 Design & Construction16 HUB Dining20 Penn State Bookstore

22 HUB Goes Green24 A Hub for Student Life26 The THON Store28 Hours & Parking

Table of Contents

Historical photos courtesy of Penn State University archives

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To contact us: Mail: 403 S. Allen St., State College, PA 16801 Phone: (814) 238-5051, (800) 326-9584 Fax: (814) 238-3415

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PENN STATE HUB-ROBESON CENTER 1955 - 2015

History of the HUB60 Years of Dynamic Expansion to

Meet Student Needs

As far back as 1910, The Penn State Collegian newspaper conducted a vigorous campaign for a student union building. The college finally established a student union in 1920 — but it didn’t have its own building, and it never really caught on, since plenty of activities were already available through fraternities and other groups.

When the “new Old Main” was completed in 1930, it included meeting rooms for student groups, a coffee shop, student lounges, and offices for student publications and government, fulfilling some of the needs for a union building. After World War II, though, expanded administrative offices took over most student space in Old Main, and students again lobbied for a union building.

The college didn’t have the money for a new facility, so it bought a war-surplus USO building in Lebanon, Pa., took it apart, hauled it to campus, and reassembled it along Shortlidge Road. The Temporary Union Building opened in 1947 and quickly became known as the TUB. It housed a ballroom, student-organization offices, a used-book exchange, and snack bar. Too small to meet student needs, the TUB was supplemented by an all-male Pollock Union Building in the Pollock Circle dormitory complex.

Meanwhile, controversy raged over how to pay for a permanent union building. After much debate, the All-College Cabinet and trustees approved a special union fee of $7.50 per student per semester in 1951 and $10 each semester thereafter. The rest of the $2.9 million construction cost came from

college funds, alumni contributions, and other gifts. The Korean War limited the availability of construction materials and delayed the groundbreaking. Work finally began in 1953 on a building designed by Harbeson Hough Livingston and Larson (H2L2) of Philadelphia.

The new building was named in honor of Ralph Dorn Hetzel, Penn State president from 1926 through his death in 1947 and a strong advocate of student government. The 147,369-square-foot building opened in February 1955 with no fanfare, no ribbon-cutting, no speeches — the doors were simply unlocked. Shortly thereafter, the HUB hosted the centennial celebration for the institution that in 1953 had become The

Breaking ground for the Hetzel Union Building were (from left) Wilmer E. Kenworthy, Penn State director of staff; Frank J. Simes, dean of men; John H. Laubach, head of student government; and Milton S. Eisenhower, president.

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Pennsylvania State University.Among the features of the HUB were the

new University Park post office substation, the Terrace Room cafeteria, and the “wait for a date room” leading into the Terrace Room and the Lion’s Den grill and snack bar. Also here were a music room with record library, dance lounge, ballroom, TV room, 12 pay-phone stations, and offices for many student organizations. Students flocked to activities such as bridge and chess clubs, movies on the lawn, folk and square dances, and art films.

It didn’t take long for enrollment and activities to outgrow the HUB. By 1958, officials already were asking for more space. Campus enrollment stood at 12,000 in 1955 when the HUB opened; by 1973, it had more than doubled to 28,600. Plans for a $200,000 addition were first authorized in 1963, but it took 10 years for construction to begin on what ended up being $5.6 million worth of added space, again designed by H2L2.

Less than 10 years later, the HUB saw another renovation, this time of its bookstore and food-service areas, completed in 1983 at a cost of $2.9 million. Exciting new dining options included a fast-food area and a soup and salad bar.

Despite the expansions, by the mid-1980s, the HUB again was running at full capacity. In a fall 1990 request for space, student leaders wrote: “Not only has the student population grown, it has become more diverse. Students today have a much greater variety of interests and cultural needs, leading to a vast increase in the number of student organizations.”

In 1992, Pennsylvania’s governor authorized state money for a HUB expansion, but state dollars never arrived. Instead, remodeling was financed with funds generated by student activity fees, private

Always Expanding to Meet

Student Needs

1947: Temporary Union Building opens in surplus WW II building

1973: First expansion

2000: 91,000 square feet added, including Robeson Center

10


support, and university funds. In 1997, trustees approved plans drawn by WTW Architects of Pittsburgh, specialists in student-union construction. In 2000, the addition opened, adding 91,000 square feet of union and cultural-center space to the union building.

The addition featured a new Pollock Road entrance, new auditorium, more meeting rooms and student offices, renovated and expanded eateries, dedicated quiet study lounges, information and computer services, improved access for users with disabilities, and more art gallery space. A focal point was a four-story-tall atrium connecting the old

and new HUB sections. The Paul Robeson Cultural Center, which had operated from the old TUB building since 1972, moved into new HUB space with a circular design symbolic of African architecture. Floor-to-ceiling windows in the Robeson Center’s Heritage Hall feature a design symbolizing African shields.

The “new” HUB-Robeson Center immediately attracted more visits by students, faculty and staff, local residents, and visitors. A decade later, planning for the next expansion and renovation was under way, and in May 2013, university trustees approved final plans for the latest project to enhance the hub of student life on campus. n

Relaxing on the HUB terrace in 1961

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Design & ConstructionCreating a Campus Destination

When Penn State planned a $44.6 million renovation and expansion to the HUB-Robeson Center, officials reached out to student leaders to see what changes they wanted — and it paid off. Following the grand opening in March, students flocked to new restaurants, shopped in the expanded Penn State Bookstore, and made themselves at home in the innovative seating at the center of the sunlit atrium’s expansive staircase. “Ten minutes after the ribbon-cutting, it was like the students had been there forever,” says Mary Edgington, senior director of union and student activities.

The need for an expansion had become apparent as foot traffic kept increasing long after the previous expansion opened in 2000. An average of 40,000 people were visiting the HUB each day, yet it was one of the smallest Big Ten union buildings.

During the idea phase of the project, HUB officials reached out to a variety of student groups and leaders to find out what changes and improvements they would like to see. Students requested more seating, programming space, and multipurpose space, and all those requests were put into play.

The design was drawn up by Gund Partnership of Cambridge, Massachusetts, which has designed numerous student-life facilities across the country and which strives to integrate green strategies into all its work. The unifying feature of Gund’s design for the HUB is the large, sky-lit commons with informal social and dining areas. The mezzanine of the atrium opens onto Penn State’s first inhabitable green roof.

Construction began in June 2013, under the management of Gilbane Building Co., and the HUB has remained open throughout the process. Two years later, most of the added and renovated spaces have been completed.

The renovation reorganized spaces within the HUB into “communities,” Edgington says, each with its own purpose such as dining, studying, and shopping. The dining community, for example, centers around the totally renovated food court, offering both national branded restaurants and in-house eateries. Anchoring the shopping community is the expanded Penn State Bookstore, featuring a mezzanine level with a Starbucks café, and plenty of book and apparel space. Another highlight to the HUB’s retail community is a new year-round, student-run THON merchandise store.

Additional meeting and multipurpose rooms — many overlooking the sunlit

(Above) Dining area; (right) modular seating on the mezzanine

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atrium — serve the ever-increasing number of student organizations. The student-run radio station, The Lion 90.7 FM, is attracting attention with its new ground-level studio, surrounded by windows that allow passersby to see what’s going on inside.

Still to come is the new Center for Character, Conscience, and Public Purpose. The center will offer programs and services that raise awareness of, educate, and actively engage students in the study of character, conscience, and public purpose while equipping them with the understanding, motivation, and skills of responsible citizenship. Also being completed is a flex theatre with a full-functioning lighting grid

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and retractable seating which will allow student organizations to hold a variety of performances, presentations, and rehearsals.

Altogether, the HUB project added 54,800 square feet of new space and renovated another 52,000 square feet, bringing the facility total to 305,000. Although crews are still putting the finishing touches on the green-roof terrace and other elements, already more than 50,000 students, faculty, staff, and other visitors pass through the HUB each day. Students are proudly bringing their parents to shop and eat there, with the bonus of free parking on non-event Saturdays and Sundays. “I think more and more students are finding their way to the HUB and hanging out here,” Edgington says. n

Seating on the atrium’s grand staircase

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HUB DiningFrom 1950s Cafeteria to

Contemporary Options

When the Hetzel Union Building first opened in 1955, the Food Service Department proudly advertised its state-of-the-art Terrace Room, a “cafeteria with a difference.” Patrons picked up their trays, silver, and napkins as usual, but then they proceeded to the counters of their choice for salads, rolls, entrees, etc., rather than working their way through a single serving line.

For 60 years, “choice” has remained the primary theme of HUB dining, although the choices themselves have changed dramatically over the years. Instead of one cafeteria and snack bar, the HUB now is home to more than a dozen restaurants, several of which carry

HUB Dining Options

• Blue Burrito: fresh grilled Mexican fare, including design-your own burritos, tacos, and bowls

• Burger King: home of the Whopper, plus fries, shakes, sundaes, smoothies, and breakfast sandwiches

• Chick-fil-A: chargrilled chicken sandwiches, chicken nuggets, wraps, and famous waffle fries

• Diversions: sweet treats like gelato, cookies, whoopee pies, and tarts

• Higher Grounds: organic and fair-trade coffees, plus pastries, sandwiches, and organic and all-natural snacks

• Jamba Juice: fresh-made smoothies for a healthy breakfast, lunch, or snack

• McAlister’s Deli: sandwiches, spuds, salads, desserts, and McAlister’s Famous Sweet Tea

• Mixed Greens: signature salads in a bowl or as a wrap, or create your own from more than 50 seasonal toppings

• Panda Express: from traditional Chinese favorites to tasty new creations

• Sbarro: fresh pizza, Italian pasta dishes, crisp salads, and signature entrees

• Soup & Garden: create your own fresh salad, and add daily featured soups and hot dishes

• Starbucks: espresso beverages, brewed coffee, Frappucinos, Tazo teas, and bakery favorites

• Sushi by Panda Express: freshly made sushi, California rolls, salads, and miso soup

1955 dining at the HUB

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the “choice” theme even further by offering “create your own” options for burritos, salads, sandwiches, and more.

The most recent construction project resulted in a completely renovated food court. To facilitate construction, the dining area was closed in summer 2014, as crews worked around the clock on renovations. Most restaurants opened in late

August, just in time for fall semester.The new HUB atrium opens into the centralized

food court and dining areas, all linked by a contemporary design style. The revamped food court includes two new national branded restaurants, McAlister’s Deli and Jamba Juice; new in-house eateries like Blue Burrito, Soup & Garden, and Diversions; plus such longtime

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favorites as Chick-fil-A and Burger King. Healthy dining options abound, from gluten-free brownies to fresh fruit and salads to vegetarian entrees.

Decision-making about which restaurants to include was student-driven. For example, students had clamored for a smoothie bar like Jamba Juice. Students, faculty and staff, and local residents all have flocked to the renovated dining area. “We’ve had a very, very positive response,” says David

Gingher, director of retail campus dining.In both the dining and atrium areas, seating

styles vary to accommodate different preferences and needs, from bar-height tables to two-person tables to modular, cushiony furniture that is both table and seating. The food court setup makes it easy for diners to each choose their favorite restaurant and then meet at a single table to study, collaborate, or relax. n

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Penn State BookstoreRenovations Integrate Bookstore

Into Overall HUB Design

The idea for an on-campus bookstore at Penn State originated in the mid-1940s, when students proposed a student-run, cooperative bookstore that would sell books, supplies, cigarettes, and candy at reduced prices. In 1947, the All-College Cabinet allocated $2,000 to start such a bookstore, but trustees vetoed the venture because it would compete with private enterprise.

Despite the setback, students continued to rally in favor of the idea, and in 1948 trustees finally gave in and permitted a student-run store that could sell only used books and a limited line of supplies. The “cooperative bookstore” at the newly erected Temporary Union Building amounted to little more than the used-book exchange that undergraduates had been running informally during the past year.

Over the years, the “bookstore” grew, but it wasn’t until 1973 that a true university-owned bookstore opened. Then, in 1993, Penn State joined other major universities in hiring Barnes & Noble College Bookstores Inc. to manage their campus stores. As part of the contract, the country’s largest bookseller agreed to make significant financial contributions to the university. Since then, Barnes & Noble has supported projects including student scholarships, campus bike paths, new facilities, and THON.

Until recently, the Penn State Bookstore had looked like exactly what it was — an addition to the HUB. The recent renovation incorporated the bookstore more fully into the overall HUB design and added about 8,000 square feet of

space to achieve a total of 35,000. To allow for construction, the entire bookstore moved into 20,000 square feet of trailer space on the HUB lawn for two years, reopening last February back inside the HUB.

The expanded Penn State Bookstore features light streaming in through two-story windows. Decorative frosting on the window glass hints at the geometric ceiling pattern in the HUB atrium. Multiple entrances facilitate shopping. A new mezzanine level overlooks the main

(Clockwise from above) The early cooperative bookstore; the newly renovated bookstore; the old basement store

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book and apparel space, as well as large murals featuring Penn State athletics and the Nittany Lion. New features include a technology center, 60-seat Starbucks café, and even a Clinque counter. “It’s more than

just a place to shop,” says Steve Falke, regional director for Penn State University Bookstores. “It’s a gathering place.”

Response to the renovated bookstore has been very positive, Falke says. “It’s clear that the students are bringing their parents and other visitors to the building to show it off,” he says.

In addition to the main store at the HUB, the Penn State Bookstore operates six other University Park locations plus 20 stores on campuses across the commonwealth. n

The recent renovation incorporated the bookstore more fully into the overall HUB design and added about 8,000 square feet of space to achieve a total of 35,000.

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HUB Goes GreenProject Carries an Emphasis on

Sustainability for the Future

In keeping with sustainability goals across the university, the HUB renovation and expansion focused on “green” initiatives — literally, through a new green roof, and figuratively, via a beefed-up recycling program.

When it opens, the 7,000-square-foot green roof terrace will be accessible from the second floor of the new atrium. It will feature a seating area looking out toward grasses and plants spreading across the roof above the Penn State Bookstore. The 2014 Senior Class Gift Committee chose to support the HUB green roof terrace as its gift to the university.

Green roofs serve several purposes. They reduce the “heat island” effect of traditional roofs, allow for better management of storm water, and create new habitat for plants, birds, and insects. Other green roofs on campus include the Forest Resources Building, Student Health Center, Dickinson Law School, Root Cellar behind Tyson Building, and Millennium Science Complex. The HUB space is the first inhabitable green roof on

campus, intended as a place for people to relax and gather.

The entire HUB renovation and expansion project was designed to the university’s rigorous sustainability standards, including high-performance glazing, LED lighting, and, of course, the green roof. The project targets LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Meanwhile, throughout the HUB, the university’s all-encompassing recycling program is in operation. Each recycling station features multiple bins for

everything from plastic bottles to office paper to food compost. The bin of last resort, labeled “Trash,” asks users if they’re sure that an item shouldn’t go into one of the recycling bins instead of heading for the landfill.

Last October, the National Recycling Coalition presented Penn State with its 2014 Outstanding Higher Education Award for an “exceptional program in recycling.” Penn State was selected over more than 70 other universities under consideration, having diverted as much as 75 percent of waste from the landfill to recycling and reuse programs. n

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A Hub for Student Life

At first glance, the HUB-Robeson Center seems to be a great place for students to hang out, eat, and study. Take a closer look, and you’ll see that it does all that…and so much more.

As a center of university community life, Union and Student Activities, which includes the HUB-Robeson Center, complements the academic experience by helping students develop understanding, skills, attitudes, and values essential for success in life and at the university as responsible citizens. To this end, Union and Student Activities offers students opportunities in leadership, social responsibility, citizenship, volunteerism, employment, and civic engagement. Through various boards, governing councils, and committees, the staff provides a variety of purposeful cultural, educational, social, leadership, and recreational experiences.

Union and Student Activities encourages self-directed activities challenging students to strive towards their full potential within an environment that fosters respect, values all persons, appreciates diversity, and celebrates the contributions of all its members. Emphasized is the need to recognize that the university community is diverse in age, culture, and ethnicity, and that all members contribute to the advancement of society.

Here are just some of the organizations, businesses, and activities that you can find at the HUB:

• Break Zone game room• The Center for Arts and Crafts,

offering classes, workshops, and a ceramics studio

• Copy Central, for low-cost, high-quality copying and finishing services

• Hub Dining food court, featuring 13 restaurants serving everything from salads to smoothies to sushi

• id+ Office, for Penn State ID cards• The Lion 90.7 FM radio station studio• Meeting rooms and gathering spaces,

including Heritage Hall and Alumni Hall• Penn State Bookstore, selling textbooks,

general interest books, Penn State apparel, and more

• Penn State Federal Credit Union banking services

• Paul Robeson Cultural Center, including an art gallery and programs encouraging the appreciation of diverse perspectives

• Student organization and activity offices• THON Store, selling IFC/Panhellenic

Dance Marathon merchandise n


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The THON StoreNow in the HUB…For the Kids

The new THON retail store at the HUB was a huge success even before it opened. Hundreds of students waited in line on March 30, eager for the doors to open, and merchandise sales were brisk even though the dance marathon itself had taken place more than a month before.

The store, located near the east entrance from the parking deck, gives THON a year-round presence at a visible location. Previously, volunteers had held merchandise sales at the HUB every month or two, and they also sell THON merchandise online at thon.org.

In addition to providing convenient access to THON merchandise, the store is

intended to assist with the organization’s mission of raising awareness of and funds for pediatric cancer. The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon raises money all year long, leading up to the 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon at the Bryce Jordan Center each February. It is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world, engaging more than 15,000 students across the commonwealth in its cause.

This year, the 43rd annual dance marathon raised more than $13 million to support the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital, which provides emotional and financial support for families of children undergoing cancer treatment there. Four Diamonds also funds innovative research that impacts cancer treatments nationwide. n

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Hours & Parking

The HUB-Robeson Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The information desk is staffed from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from noon to 10 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

You don’t have to be a Penn State student or employee to visit the HUB. Restaurants and the Penn State Bookstore are open to the general public, as are the art galleries, craft center, and many events.

Visitor parking is available in the HUB parking deck on Shortlidge Road from 7:30 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday for $1 per hour (cash only). Parking is free at the HUB deck on Saturdays and Sundays, except during special events. Visitors also can park at the East Parking Deck (next to Berkey Creamery on Bigler Road) or the Nittany Parking Deck (next to the Nittany Lion Inn).

For more information:HUB Information Desk(814) 865-2000studentaffairs.psu.edu/hub

HUB Expansion Newsstudentaffairs.psu.edu/hub/expansion

HUB Dining(814) 865-7623www.hfs.psu.edu/hubdining

Penn State Bookstore(814) 863-0205www.psu.bncollege.com

Paul Robeson Cultural Center(814) 865-3776studentaffairs.psu.edu/cultural

You can also hop on the free CATA Blue Loop bus from downtown or other areas of campus and get off at the White Building, next door to the HUB. n

PENN STATE HUB-ROBESON CENTER1955 - 2015

NEWLY RENOVATED FOR TODAY’S

CAMPUS COMMUNITY

A TOWN&GOWN PUBLICATION

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