Renovation details
We are pleased to announce that we are moving forward with plans to renovate the UF College of Education’s aging, historic home – Norman Hall.
As reported in the Gainesville Sun, on May 8, 2017 Florida lawmakers approved a state budget which includes $17.4 million to pay for the first-ever major improvement project in Norman Hall’s 85-year history.
The renovations and repairs include an overhaul of the historic building’s infrastructure, including new roof, windows, plumbing, electrical system, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and removal of asbestos and lead paint.
The improvements also include adding many student-centered features, such as configurable classrooms and meeting spaces, more space to boost research capacity, and installing electrical outlets to support student technology needs.
“We are very grateful to the state for the funding to pay for these badly needed improvements,” said College of Education Dean Glenn Good. “The renovations will make the building more suitable for preparing the educators and educational leaders who will address the educational opportunities and challenges of the future.”
Dean Good and the college staff members will have meet with the officials of UF’s Planning, Design and Construction Division to finalize the timelines and priorities.
The renovation and repairs involve logistical challenges, such as temporarily moving the classrooms and offices to another location during construction.
The college’s staff first began planning improvements to Norman Hall in the 1980s and securing state funding has been one of UF’s capital improvement and maintenance priorities.
Building Design and Blueprints
The L-shaped red-brick building was built in 1931-1934 as the P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School to closely resemble the university’s original academic buildings constructed starting in 1905.
Located across Southwest 13th Street from the main campus, the building has a steeply pitched roof punctuated with dormers, decorative brick work and architectural embellishments. These include arched doorways and carvings, such as the north façade’s monumental plaque honoring the great educators of the past, from Plato, Socrates and Aristotle to McGuffy and Froebel.
In 1957, the building was renamed for long-time Education Dean James W. Norman when P.K. Yonge moved to its own campus a few blocks away. In 1989, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The College of Education is rated among America’s top-ranked education schools. The college has 2,800 students enrolled in 28 undergraduate and graduate academic programs and projects to increase enrollment 20 percent during the next five years.
