Club Rendezvous in Wheelock Student Center was recently renovated to make the space more usable, multipurpose and inviting.
“The project included the demolition of the carpeted and glass walls, patch and repair of damaged walls, new stage carpet, added lighting and painting throughout,” Chris Brookins, the Project Manager of the Rendezvous renovation, said.
There have also been more surface-level improvements in Rendezvous, which serve a cosmetic as well as a functional end.
Sarah Comstock, the Assistant Director of Student Activities for Wheelock Student Center, stated simply: “We got rid of the junk.”
The old and dysfunctional piano was removed along with one of the pool tables, freeing up space for more café seating. Additionally, the old furniture has been replaced with furniture from the piano lounge.
These changes have made Rendezvous a more inviting space. According to Comstock, “It no longer looks like a cave but a place you’d want to spend time in.”
Most of the renovation was completed over the winter break. The renovation was undertaken at this point in time out of need as well as priority among ASUPS.
“Rendezvous was renovated because it was a priority of the Ernst-Borsini campaign,” ASUPS President Brian Ernst said. “Besides this, the space begged for a facelift and has been transformed from a once dark and dingy space to a bright and usable multipurpose space today.”
The project was collaborative in nature. ASUPS contacted Facilities Services to initiate the project, and the two parties met to discuss the aims and scope of the project as Brookins worked with outside contractors to complete the renovation.
The renovation of Rendezvous, as an effort to maximize existing space, taps into the larger problem of space on campus. “In the big picture, we are a space-challenged campus,” noted Comstock. “We just don’t have enough of it, especially in terms of casual areas where students can hang out in public buildings.”
This problem of space was both a motivation and a constraint for the renovation project. While the University works to maximize existing space, there are current and planned construction projects that also address the problem of limited space.
“Low-cost solutions were important because the building is in a waiting stage because of the coming renovation. There are tentative plans to expand the W.S.C. The building will be extended on the southeast corner; W.S.C. 101 would go away and the building will be extended from that room and across the alleyway,” Comstock said.
One of the major aims of the project was to achieve a more inviting space through cost-effective means. This way, Rendezvous could be updated sufficiently without a significant financial setback in the event that W.S.C. is expanded in the near future.
Comstock emphasized the importance of Wheelock Student Center. “Wheelock is the social hub, and it has a variety of services that are essential to students,” Comstock said. “And it is the events and opportunities in the Wheelock public spaces that make this campus great.”
The renovation of Rendezvous, as an improvement to one of the social spaces on campus, confirms the importance of W.S.C. as a social center, but also attests to the larger importance of providing inviting social spaces for the campus community.
