"MCLA’s location provided me with endless opportunities to gain professional experience in the arts. I had a lot of fun working as a tour guide at MASS MoCA and in the education department at the Berkshire Museum, which allowed me to figure out what kinds of jobs I would like and to meet a lot of interesting arts professionals along the way. MCLA’s small size helped me develop close working relationships with my favorite professors who always took time to advise me on academic and professional concerns. I really felt like they were with me all the way."
Monica Henry ’07 Education Coordinator, Clark Art Institute
May 05
May 2005
As the weather outside
warms and brightens, work continues.
This first picture comes in
to the lowest level of Murdock Hall from the south. Workers are still
using temporary lights but you can see that the ceiling areas and all of
the brick are prepared for the next level of renovation. The second
picture shows what was once the business office in the southwestern corner
of Murdock Hall. This particular corner with the large window was once
occupied by Jerry Desmarais. The third picture shows the entryway of the
tunnel that once connected Murdock Hall with Taconic Hall. The tunnel will
ultimately be used as a conduit to Smith House for data and electrical
lines. When the renovation is completed, the only access to this tunnel
will be through a small access door.
This next group of pictures is
taken on the first level of the building. This will be the hallway that
will support the Computer Services Office as well as the Helpdesk and the
User Helpdesk. This next series of pictures shows the construction of the
new support columns that are being installed in the building. As doorways
are made wider, support columns need to be added. These first two pictures
show such a support column and how it is braced to the existing brick. The
third picture shows the reinforcement bar that is placed into concrete to
establish these support pillars for our new hallways and
doorways.
The two workers standing on
scaffolding are in what used to be the TV Studio on the second floor of
the building. You can see the detail of the ceiling area with the steel
reinforcement beam running through. These men are installing spacers
between the rafters that will accommodate wiring, heating, plumbing and
location of new walls. The second picture shows a greater detail of these
spacers.
We spent two pictures looking
at the ceiling; let’s spend one picture looking at the flooring. You can
just make out the original wood floors in the building and several other
layers present in the building. During the last eight weeks, a portion of
the task was to remove all of the old flooring. We anticipate saving some
of the old flooring in two conference rooms in the building. This will be
determined after the old floor and glue is
removed.
The first picture shows the
glove bags used to remove insulation from the pipes in the building. The
second picture shows the finished product with all the insulation removed
from a section of pipe.
These last two pictures are
taken in the attic of Murdock Hall. It was noted several weeks ago that a
hole needed to be made in the roof in order to move out the old mechanical
systems from the attic. This is the opening that was used for that removal
as well as bringing back in to the building new heating ducts and air
exchange fans. The second picture shows the gleam of the new heating ducts
and air ventilation system coming in to the
building.
