WHRB and several other undergraduate organizations will open offices in the basement of Memorial Hall, once the Psychological Laboratories there have been moved into the new William James Center, Arthur D. Trottenberg, Assistant Dean of the Faculty for Resources and Planning, revealed yesterday.
When the basement area became available, WHRB dropped its tentative plans to build new studios over the Master's garage at the corner of Mill and Plympton streets. The station expects to renovate the basement for approximately $50,000, an amount less than one third the cost of identical facilities at the previously proposed site.
Though new workshops and classrooms for the School of Design will occupy the largest single block of space, the new undergraduate facilities will take up more than half the floor area. In addition to broadcasting studios and offices for the radio station, space will be allocated for the Gilbert and Sullivan Players, for the libraries of the Glee Club and Orchestra, for an undergraduate art studio, and for offices and meeting rooms for other organizations.
Harvard Yearbook Publications at one time planned to cooperate with WHRB on construction at the garage. The Year-book is not included in the Mem Hall plan
The Psychology Laboratories are provisionally scheduled to move out sometime during November. The renovation, which will be financed partly by the organizations involved and partly by the university, will take place during the winter with occupancy set for sometime during the spring. WHRB does not expect to begin broadcasting from the new location until next fall, however, because of the problems involved in transferring electronic equipment.
The quarters for the Gilbert and Sullivan Players include costume workshops as well as rehearsal space with a piano. It is expected that these facilities will serve as a "springboard" for all productions in the newly renovated Agassiz Theatre, according to Herbert J. Motley '65, president of the operetta group.
The meeting rooms and offices for other organizations have been provided to relieve the crowding at 52 Dunster St., Trottenberg said. He added that the new rooms would be available to any organization recognized by the University by application to the Dean of Students.
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