The success of the recent Harvard Pub Night series has inspired College administrators to go forward with preparatory studies for building a permanent pub in Loker Commons, with renovations slated to begin as soon as the summer of 2006.

Special Assistant to the Dean for Social Programming Zachary A Corker ’04 said that the College will pursue a feasibility study, analyzing both potential layouts and costs, which should be completed by the end of this summer.

“The success of Pub Nights is a clear indicator that Loker Commons, with the right adjustments, can be a real center for student life,” Corker wrote in an e-mail.

Over 4,500 students have attended the five events thus far. Dean of the College Benedict H. Gross ’71 has called them “a great addition to the social scene this semester.”

Associate Dean of the College Judith H. Kidd said that administrators, faculty, and staff have shown strong support for the Pub Nights.

“I’m not only happy that the students have responded so positively to the Pub Nights, but also that the whole College is responding so favorably,” Kidd said.

“The fact that we’re doing the legwork now means that we’re seriously thinking about this,” Kidd added.

Dean of the Faculty William C. Kirby expressed his enthusiasm as well.

“I’ve been a strong supporter of the idea of a pub in Loker, and the great success of pub nights indicates that the students like the idea too!” Kirby wrote in an e-mail.

Corker, who will assume the position of project manager for the feasibility study, said he wants to meet with student groups over the coming weeks to discuss what they would like to see in Loker Commons on a regular basis.

He also said that he will be working with many of the student leaders that have helped him in the planning and execution of Pub Nights this spring, including representatives from Harvard Student Agencies (HSA) and Veritas Records.

But as yet, no specific plans relating to how the pub should be structured have been decided.

“We’re starting with a blank slate,” Corker said. “We want this to be student driven....I’m here to be a sponge for student opinion and feedback.”

He said that the College has been in talks with a number of architectural firms as well.

“The potential here is huge, so we want to make sure we’re taking full advantage of the opportunity,” Corker said.