Christine Menges |
The Pilot House might look a lot different next year. The University plans to transform the building into a pub and event space that can be a central hang-out spot for students, alumni and visitors.
With an opening date tentatively set for Fall 2015, the new Pilot House will feature a bar, a permanent stage, more seating, an open environment and late-night and weekend programming.
Fr. Gerry Olinger, vice president of Student Affairs, said the project is a response to a survey taken three years ago in which students indicated they wanted laid-back programming where they were free to come and go.
When UP began seriously considering an on-campus pub two years ago, they brought Maureen Doyle, general manager of the University of Notre Dame’s nightclub and bar, Legends of Notre Dame, to campus. She pointed out that UP lacked a common area for students to socialize at night.
According to Doyle, alcohol citations at Notre Dame decreased by 30 percent a decade after Legends of Notre Dame opened.
After the renovation, the Pilot House will more closely resemble Notre Dame’s pub, with a permanent stage and better lighting and sound systems to facilitate music and other events.
The rest of the inside of the Pilot House will also look completely different, with an open, modern lounge area. The wall separating The Cove from the rest of the Pilot House may be removed.
“Right now, the space itself is not ideally set up,” Olinger said. “It’s kind of bifurcated. The hope is to be able to knock down the division to create one large space.”
The more open space symbolizes what he hopes the project will achieve: a greater sense of community.
“This is like the front door when you come onto campus,” Vice President of University Relations Laurie Kelley said. “We want it to be a really welcoming space where people can meet friends and bring guests.”
After viewing draft pictures of the new Pilot House online, sophomore Caitlin Varquez said the update is definitely an improvement.
“I think that’s a good idea to update the Pilot House because that’s the first thing you see when you step on campus,” sophomore Caitlin Varquez said.
Freshman Katherine Hays agreed.
“It looks like an actual restaurant. It makes me feel like I want to stay,” she said.
In addition to a more restaurant-style interior, a new bar will serve alcohol to students 21 and older.
“[Serving alcohol] is not unusual to a campus setting, we just haven’t had it here at the University of Portland,” Kelley said.
Administrators hope the bar will attract upperclassmen who have moved off campus to spend more time hanging out on campus.
The renovation will cost about $2.2 million, half of which has already been raised.
The project will not use funds from the RISE campaign, which ended in May. Instead, the renovation will be funded by other donations. Kelley said the University is looking for a major donor, whom the building would be named after.
The University might also receive some funding directly from student fees through ASUP. At a Senate meeting Monday, Senators narrowed down the list of Major Project Fund ideas to five options, including a project for renovating the Pilot House. The MPF is more than $60,000.
The new Pilot House is scheduled to open fall 2015, so Kelley hopes construction will start soon. If UP reaches their $2.2 million fundraising goal, construction will start in May.
According to Olinger, this renovation will be the final piece of a four-part plan to address student gathering spaces. The other construction projects – the Bauccio Commons, The Library, and the upcoming Beauchamp Recreation & Wellness Center – serve different aspects of student life. The change to the Pilot House will evolve the space from just serving food to serving students’ social needs.
Pilots After Dark will play a vital role in the new Pilot House by providing programming. Due to the program’s past success, Olinger has high hopes for the future.
“We averaged 900 students a week last year. This year we’re averaging over 1,200 students a weekend,” he said. “My hope is that we see those numbers increase even more.” Christine Menges is a reporter for The Beacon. You can contact her at menges15@up.edu or on Twitter @ChristineyBird.
