A New Reis Rising

Strolling through the core of the picturesque Allegheny College campus, one of the buildings that always seems to draw the eye is the Beaux-Arts-style Reis Hall. With its stately architecture and rich history, it's more than just a building; it's a campus icon. Like many historic buildings, Reis Hall has faced the wear and tear of time. After 120 years, it had fallen into disrepair and was in need of a major renovation. Fortunately, if you've visited campus recently, you've likely noticed the construction barriers surrounding the building, signs of a bold and exciting transformation underway for students, faculty, and the broader community.

Reis Hall is undergoing a momentous $20 million renovation, marking a new chapter for this historic landmark at Allegheny, one of the nation's leading institutions for interdisciplinary learning and research. The revitalization of Reis Hall is part of the In for Allegheny: Our Pathway Forward campaign, which is focused on inviting future Gators to be part of Allegheny's story, inspiring students through career connections, and investing in areas to bring the College's Strategic Pathway to life. This campaign supports the Pathway and has already made significant progress toward its $250 million goal.

The Reis Hall renovation is primarily funded through a generous $35 million gift - the largest gift in the College's history - from the estate of Philip L. St. Moritz '61. (See related story on p. 14.) In honor of this contribution, Reis Hall will become home to the new Phil St. Moritz '61 Center for Innovation at Reis Hall, a central hub for teaching and learning. The center will house the Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity (ALIC) - a lab, currently housed in the Doane Hall of Art, created to merge hands-on technical learning with critical thinking and creative exploration - and other academic areas, including the Department of Computer and Information Science.

ALIC empowers students and faculty to design and build prototypes of products, scientific instruments, artistic projects, robots, virtual environments, video games, smart devices, and more, while the College's Computer and Information Science Department is a trendsetter among liberal arts institutions, featuring programs in informatics, robotics, software engineering, ethics, and artificial intelligence geared to make a positive impact on the world.

In addition, Reis also will feature cutting-edge technology and teaching spaces that support interdisciplinary learning across the curriculum. Plans include classrooms, collaborative study areas, multiple maker labs, and a versatile outdoor plaza.

This project will show how Allegheny College is a leader at the intersection of the liberal arts and emerging technology," said President Ron Cole '87, Ph.D., speaking to the vision behind the reimagined Reis Hall, which supports the Strategic Pathway's Goal 2: a Vibrant and Inclusive Campus. Designed as a two-year renovation, the project aims to merge the building's historic character with state-of-the-art learning environments. By upgrading to 21st-century standards, Reis Hall will better equip students with the skills needed for the future.

"The renovation signals Allegheny's deep investment in both students and faculty, with a particular appeal to those who value collaboration, interdisciplinary engagement, and a strong sense of academic community," said Jennifer Dearden, DMA, Provost and Dean of the Faculty. "Designed with spaces for mentoring, reflection, and connection, Reis will foster the kind of inclusive and dynamic culture that attracts and retains talented students and teacher-scholars."

Reis as a Library

Opened in 1902, Reis Hall was known as the William E. Reis Library, named in honor of the industrialist and Allegheny alumnus whose generous donation made its construction possible. Over the decades, the structure welcomed generations of students who explored its library stacks, attended lectures, engaged in spirited debates, and built lifelong memories.

More recent graduates may recall learning about community service work with Dave Roncolato '79 or receiving academic support from Nancy Sheridan in their offices within Reis. Others might remember attending seminars in the Treasure Room, accessible from the second-floor rotunda. This special space once housed the College's original library collection, including the Ida Tarbell research papers, before the materials were relocated to the Lawrence Lee Pelletier Library in 1976, where the Treasure Room, known as the Merrick Archives and Special Collections Reading Room, now resides.

I'm looking forward to seeing students experience the remodeled spaces of Reis Hall," said Allegheny's Archives and Special Collections Librarian Christopher Anderson, Ph.D. "The project provides a nostalgic hybrid of sorts, retaining the building's fascinating, historical exterior while transforming the interior with the latest technologies and creative workspaces. I'm hopeful students will feel as if they're walking through Allegheny's past while also experiencing how the College is preparing them for the future.

Before being closed for safety reasons in 2018, Reis Hall had enjoyed a long, dynamic history deeply connected to the College's evolution. Since Allegheny's founding in 1815, the library has been a cornerstone of academic life, supported early on by significant book donations from individuals like William Bentley and Judge James Winthrop. These donations led to the construction of Bentley Hall and later Ruter Hall to accommodate the
expanding collection.

In 1893, Allegheny College President William Henry Crawford ushered in a wave of modernization at the College. During what came to be known as the "New Allegheny" era, he championed the construction of new campus buildings, including a dedicated library to meet the College's growing academic needs. This vision culminated in the creation of Reis Hall, originally known simply as "The New Library."

Reis Hall's design reflected a sensitivity to both the importance and fragility of the original library collection. The Treasure Room featured caged bookshelves to safeguard rare volumes, and in 1940, the Lincoln Room was added to house Ida Tarbell's donation of Lincoln-related materials.

The building bears the name of Class of 1869 graduate William Edward Reis, a successful steel magnate. Though he faced financial hardship early in life, Reis rose to become president of the National Steel Company and generously funded the library's construction. Initially, he requested anonymity for his gift, but later agreed to have his name associated with the building, which was then officially named the William E. Reis Library.

Reis Hall was designed by Charles Webber Bolton, a prominent Philadelphia architect known for his versatility. His body of work spanned styles from Richardsonian Romanesque to Gothic Revival, making him well-suited to design the Beaux-Arts-inspired Reis Hall.

The building holds significance not only for its elegant architecture but also for its role in Allegheny's intellectual and cultural history. It reflects the enduring legacy of late 19th-century industrial philanthropy and has hosted notable figures such as Robert Frost and Ida Tarbell.

In his 2018 Senior Project titled "Does Reis Hall Merit Inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places?: An Analysis of Reis Hall's Architectural and Historical Significance," then-student Travis S. Turner '19 made a compelling case for preserving the building as a landmark worthy of national recognition.

Building on that legacy, the College has embraced the opportunity to preserve and revitalize one of its most cherished structures. As appreciation for Reis Hall's architectural and historical importance has grown, supported by academic research and decades of institutional memory, Allegheny has committed to its comprehensive renovation, ensuring the building continues to serve and inspire for generations to come.

What's Being Done?

The renovation of Reis Hall focuses on preserving its original architectural features and historical integrity while modernizing its infrastructure, technology, and accessibility to meet the evolving needs of education. The goal is to create flexible, engaging environments that support students and faculty in a collaborative, future-ready setting.

Construction, which began on January 1, 2025, involves a comprehensive overhaul, touching nearly every aspect of the building.

We hope that visitors to the renovated Reis Hall feel a strong connection between the College's history and its future," said Joseph Michael, the College's director of facilities. "While much of the original architecture and historically significant features are being preserved and restored, the building is being transformed into a modern academic space that supports collaboration and innovation.

"The goal is for the building to feel familiar and respectful of its past, yet fully functional and inviting for today's students and faculty. Reis is intended to be a vibrant, collaborative, and student-focused hub at the heart of campus - alive with activity and purpose," said Michael.

The project was awarded as an architect-led, design-build contract to Rothschild Doyno Collaborative, in partnership with Mosites Construction. Several subcontractors, including specialized engineers and tradespeople, are also contributing their expertise.

Phase one of construction is already underway. According to Michael, all geothermal wells have been drilled, the roof replacement is ongoing, and cleaning and repairs of the exterior brick and terracotta are progressing. Structural reinforcements are in progress, and the new windows are currently on order. The building's exterior will largely remain unchanged, with the most visible update being the addition of a Maker's Plaza on the west side.

Interior renovations, slated to begin in November 2025, will address structural and compliance issues. This includes removing certain floors and balconies that do not meet modern height standards. The reading room floor will be restored to its original level, and important historical elements, such as plasterwork and staircases, will be carefully preserved. One interior brick wall will be exposed and protected as part of the design. "This restoration will repurpose Reis Hall as an academic facility while retaining its familiar atmosphere," said Michael.

Fortunately, few unexpected issues have surfaced during construction so far. "We discovered some original 1901 windows that had been covered during a previous addition, and we'll be incorporating them into the new design," Michael shared. "We also found some of the original gas lines for the building's gas lamps; very cool to see."

For Michael, the biggest challenge is balancing history with progress. "It's important that the construction gives a nod to the building's legacy and the meaning it holds for so many in the community," he said. "At the same time, we're creating a space brimming with modern technology and purpose, one where current and future generations of Gators can build their own lasting connection."

Looking to the Future

Excitement continues to build around the renovation of Reis Hall, which promises to be more than just a physical transformation. When it reopens, the building will symbolize Allegheny College's deep respect for its heritage, its present-day momentum, and its forward-looking aspirations. It will serve as a nexus where historical significance meets innovative thinking, an inspiration for generations to come.

The renovation of our historic Reis Hall into the Phil St. Moritz Center for Innovation is a pivotal moment in Allegheny's history," said Assistant Provost for Academic Innovation Byron Rich. "As the pace of technological evolution accelerates, liberal arts institutions like Allegheny must play a key role not only in shaping these technologies, but in examining their cultural impacts.

The new Center for Innovation at Reis Hall will allow ALIC to significantly expand its reach, engaging more students, faculty, and community members through both curricular and co-curricular programs. "ALIC's influence on our students and their post-graduation outcomes will grow exponentially," Rich added. "The facility will house even more cutting-edge technologies while representing the very best of Allegheny's past and its extraordinarily bright future."

Provost Dearden echoed this vision: "We've often described ALIC as the intersection of the liberal arts and emerging technologies. The new Center for Innovation at Reis Hall will bring that vision to life in a tangible way. It's designed to elevate the interdisciplinary learning that defines an Allegheny education.

"Our students come here because they want to explore their passions in unique ways, and usually from multiple perspectives, and our faculty engage in their scholarship both within and across disciplines," Dearden continued. "To bring that interdisciplinary ethos to life in a building that itself blends our history with our future will be a vital part of how we prepare students for lives of meaning, creativity, and impact."

Another major component of the project is relocating academic areas, including the Department of English, the Department of Computer and Information Science, and Women's, Gender, & Sexuality Studies, to Reis. The renovated facility will provide offices for all departmental faculty, state-of-the-art classrooms, maker spaces, collaboration rooms, and common areas for gathering and teamwork.

"It will feature flexible classrooms equipped for laptop-based instruction, similar to what we have now in Alden," said Janyl Jumadinova, Ph.D., associate professor and department chair of Computer and Information Science. "There will be gathering spaces to foster dialogue, and to host our weekly iTea events, outreach programs, and alumni panels. And students will benefit from being close to hands-on resources in ALIC, strengthening the integration of hardware and software, which is central to our curriculum."

Jumadinova noted that the modernized Reis Hall will support both recruitment and student success. "Reis will be a vibrant hub for students who want to build, whether it's a robot, an art installation, or a software system. It will be a space to work with real-world data and explore technology in human contexts," she said. "Our students will gain not only advanced technical skills with social awareness, but also become part of a creative, ethically grounded, purpose-driven community."