Photo courtesy of Western Kentucky University
PRESS RELEASE
Glasgow News 1
Western Kentucky University revealed renovation plans for the historic Cherry Hall.
The renovation project will preserve the history of WKU’s most iconic building, while modernizing the facility to enhance teaching, learning, research, and engagement for future generations of Hilltoppers.
The 88-year-old building has served as the focal point of WKU’s hilltop campus and the iconic classroom building for the majority of WKU students. Cherry Hall currently houses classrooms and offices for English, Anthropology, History, and Political Science, which are all part of the Potter College of Arts & Letters (PCAL).
“What we share with you today represents an extraordinary degree of thoughtful work and intentional planning aimed at preserving Cherry Hall’s storied history, rich tradition and distinctive charm while transforming it for future generations of Hilltoppers to come—ensuring it remains the representative icon for WKU for another century and beyond,” said WKU President Timothy C. Caboni.
The renderings were unveiled this afternoon at the Cherry Hall Open House event. The WKU Community was invited to tour the building and view renderings depicting the renovation plans.
Cherry Hall opened on September 22, 1937, replacing Recitation Hall as the university’s primary academic building. The building, which was named for Henry Hardin Cherry, who served as WKU’s founder and first president, originally housed every academic department at WKU except biology, agriculture, home economics, physical education, military science, and music. It also served as the previous home of the college bookstore, Post Office, and various other campus offices. The renovated Cherry Hall is an important part of the university’s Hilltop Restoration Project, which returns the top of The Hill to President Cherry’s vision of an oval academical village.
This project is made possible by the Kentucky General Assembly. In 2022, the General Assembly provided funding for individual asset preservation, renovation, and maintenance projects at Kentucky public postsecondary institutions. In August 2024, the WKU Board of Regents approved a $75 million renovation and restoration of Cherry Hall.
Committees and focus groups comprised of PCAL faculty and staff have been working with the architects of Gensler (Chicago) to envision and design the new, modern interiors of the iconic building. Gensler previously designed The Commons at Helm Library and the new Gordon Ford College of Business building at WKU.
Preserving its most iconic features, the renovation project will reimagine the interior space of Cherry Hall by including modernized classrooms, collaborative spaces and faculty/staff offices. The connection of Cherry Hall to campus will be further illuminated by more natural light and new accessible entrances. Sensory relief spaces will also be made available for the neurodiverse community. The well-worn marble steps, which echo the footsteps of previous Hilltoppers, will remain, while other marble elements will be repurposed to ensure they remain a constant in the evolution of the university.
This renovation project will also increase engagement opportunities for all members of the WKU community, while solidifying the building’s status as an academic pillar of the WKU experience. By repurposing under-utilized space, the project will provide open and closed collaboration options for students and faculty. Additionally, a new large classroom on the second floor of Cherry Hall will function as an auditorium for multimedia courses and serve as a multi-purpose space for guest lectures and events.
Updated audio-visual technology in classrooms will facilitate the PCAL academic programs, connecting regional WKU campus classrooms and supporting hybrid learning. Some of the new technological features offered in the building include modern media-supported classrooms, digital directories, wayfinding signage, and a digital lab to advance innovative thinking, promote cross-disciplinary brainstorming, and display the creative works of different student-driven projects.
“Cherry Hall has been described by one faculty member as ‘a workhorse,’” said Dr. Terrance Brown, Dean of PCAL. “This designation is well-earned, as generations of Hilltoppers since 1937 have made this iconic structure a place where academic fundamentals and ingenuity flourish. I am proud to be a part of this next phase in the life of a building that has given so much to so many.”
As part of the Cherry Hall renovation project, the Faculty House will be removed. Built in the early 1920s, the facility has well exceeded its useful life, with its deteriorating condition leading to its closure more than two years ago. WKU plans to honor the significance of the Faculty House to the university within the renovated Cherry Hall.
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