Georgia Tech's main campus occupies part of Midtown Atlanta, bordered by 10th Street to the north and by North Avenue to the south, placing it well in sight of the Atlanta skyline. In 1996, the campus was the site of the athletes' village and a venue for a number of athletic events for the 1996 Summer Olympics. The construction of the Olympic village, along with subsequent gentrification of the surrounding areas enhanced the campus.
The Georgia Tech campus is located in Midtown, an area north of downtown Atlanta. Although a number of skyscrapersâ€"most visibly the headquarters of AT&T, The Coca-Cola Company, and Bank of Americaâ€"are visible from all points on campus, the campus itself has few buildings over four stories and has a great deal of greenery. This gives it a distinctly suburban atmosphere quite different from other Atlanta campuses such as that of Georgia State University.
Organization
The campus is organized into four main parts: West Campus, East Campus, Central Campus, and Technology Square. West Campus and East Campus are both occupied primarily by student living complexes, while Central Campus is reserved primarily for teaching and research buildings.
West Campus
West Campus is occupied primarily by apartments and coed undergraduate dormitories. Apartments include Crecine, Center Street, 6th Street, Maulding, Undergraduate Living Center (ULC), and Eighth Street Apartments, while dorms include Freeman, Montag, Fitten, Folk, Caldwell, Armstrong, Hefner, Fulmer, and Woodruff Suites. The Campus Recreation Center (formerly the Student Athletic Complex); a volleyball court; a large, low natural green area known as the Burger Bowl; the Skiles Classroom Building, which houses the School of Mathematics and the School of Literature, Communication and Culture; and a flat artificial green area known as the CRC (formerly SAC) Fields are all located on the western side of the campus.
West Campus was formerly home to Under the Couch, which relocated to the Student Center in the fall of 2010. Also within walking distance of West Campus are several late-night eateries and Engineer's Bookstore, an economical alternative to Georgia Tech's official bookstore. West campus is home to a convenience store, West Side Market. Due to limited space, all auto travel proceeds via a network of one-way streets which connects West Campus to Ferst Drive, the main road of the campus. Woodruff Dining Hall, or "Woody's", is the West Campus Dining Hall. It connects the Woodruff North and Woodruff South undergraduate dorms.
East Campus
East Campus houses all of the fraternities and sororities as well as most of the undergraduate freshman dormitories. East Campus abuts the Downtown Connector, granting residences quick access to Midtown and its businesses (for example, The Varsity) via a number of bridges over the highway as well as a tunnel beneath it. Georgia Tech football's home, Bobby Dodd Stadium is located on East Campus, as well as Georgia Tech basketball's home, McCamish Pavilion (formerly Alexander Memorial Coliseum).
Brittain Dining Hall is the main dining hall for East Campus. It is modeled after a medieval church, complete with carved columns and stained glass windows showing symbolic figures. The main road leading from East Campus to Central Campus is a steep ascending incline commonly known as "Freshman Hill" (in reference to the large number of freshman dorms near its foot). On March 8, 2007, the former Georgia State University Village apartments were transferred to Georgia Tech. Renamed North Avenue Apartments by the institute, they began housing students in the fall semester of 2007.
Central Campus
Central Campus is home to the majority of the academic, research, and administrative buildings. The Central Campus includes, among others: the Howey Physics Building; the Boggs Chemistry Building; the College of Computing Building; the Klaus Advanced Computing Building; the College of Architecture Building;the D. M. Smith Building, which houses the School of Public Policy; and the Ford Environmental Science & Technology Building. In 2005, the School of Modern Languages returned to the Swann Building, a 100-year-old former dormitory that now houses some of the most technology-equipped classrooms on campus. Intermingled with these are a variety of research facilities, such as the Centennial Research Building, the Microelectronics Research Center, the Neely Nuclear Research Center, the Nanotechnology Research Center, and the Petit Biotechnology Building.
Tech's administrative buildings, such as Tech Tower, and the Bursar's Office, are also located on the Central Campus, in the recently renovated Georgia Tech Historic District. The campus library, the Fred B. Wenn Student Center, and the Student Services Building ("Flag Building") are also located on Central Campus. The Student Center provides a variety of recreational and social functions for students including: a computer lab, a game room ("Tech Rec"), the Student Post Office, a music venue, a movie theater, the Food Court, plus meeting rooms for various clubs and organizations. Adjacent to the eastern entrance of the Student Center is the Kessler Campanile (which is referred to by students as "The Shaft"). The former Hightower Textile Engineering building was demolished in 2002 to create Yellow Jacket Park. More greenspace now occupies the area around the Kessler Campanile for a more aesthetically pleasing look, in accordance with the official Campus Master Plan. In August 2011, the G. Wayne Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons opened next to the library and occupies part of the Yellow Jacket Park area.
The "Robert Ferst Center for the Arts", located next to the student center, is Georgia Tech's theater and arts center, and adjoins DramaTech, the student run theater. It contains a 1,155 seat auditorium that features a proscenium stage, orchestra pit, and theatrical lighting and sound systems.
Technology Square
Technology Square, also known as "Tech Square", is located across the Downtown Connector and embedded in the city east of East Campus. Opened in August 2003 at a cost of $179 million, the district was built over run-down neighborhoods and has sparked a revitalization of the entire Midtown area. Connected by the recently renovated Fifth Street Bridge, it is a pedestrian-friendly area comprising Georgia Tech facilities and retail locations. One complex contains the College of Business Building, holding classrooms and office space for the Scheller College of Business, as well as the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center and the Georgia Tech Global Learning Center. Another part of Tech Square, the privately owned Centergy One complex, contains the Technology Square Research Building (TSRB), holding faculty and graduate student offices for the College of Computing and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, as well as the GVU Center, a multidisciplinary technology research center. The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is a science and business incubator, run by the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is also headquartered in Technology Square's Centergy One complex.
Other Georgia Tech-affiliated buildings in the area host the Center for Quality Growth and Regional Development, the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute, the Advanced Technology Development Center, VentureLab, and the Georgia Electronics Design Center. Technology Square also hosts a variety of restaurants and businesses, including the headquarters of notable consulting companies like Accenture and also including the official Institute bookstore, a Barnes & Noble bookstore, and a Georgia Tech-themed Waffle House.
Apartments and Residence Halls
Fulmer Hall
Fulmer Residence Hall is a traditional-style female residence hall at the Georgia Institute of Technology. It opened in 1969 as the first female dormitory on the campus. It is dedicated to Herman K. Fulmer, who was an associate professor of Mathematics at Georgia Tech.
Fulmer originally cost $327,000 to construct and was designed by James C. Wise, Simpson, Aiken and Associates.
Freeman Hall
Freeman Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. Freeman is coed by floor and part of Fitten, Freeman, and Montag group often abbreviated "FFM." Freeman was originally built for $580,000 and was designed by the architects Bradbury & Associates.
The dorm is named after famous movie producer and Tech alum Y. Frank Freeman. He produced titles such as The Biscuit Eaters, The Naked Jungle, Omar Kahyyam, and The War of the Worlds.
Chris Klaus, founder of Kaneva, Inc. and Internet Security Systems (ISS), cited his stay in Freeman Hall as one of the reasons he made a $15 million (USD) donation to Georgia Tech.
Cloudman Hall
Cloudman Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. Cloudman Hall is dedicated to Josiah Cloudman. Cloudman was built in 1931 and renovated in 1995. Cloudman originally cost $128,000 to construct and was designed by architects Bush-Brown, Gailey & Associates. Cloudman is set to be renovated again in the coming decade.
It is by the northern wing of Brittain Dining Hall, while Harris Hall is the southern wing. Cloudman houses only female residents.
Cloudman Hall was the site of a dry ice bombing that resulted in the Atlanta Bomb Squad responding in October 2005. A Glenn Hall resident had made several dry ice bombs and left them outside of the hall. The preceding morning, a facilities employee detonated the bombs by accident causing slight hearing damage. The student was initially charged with felony possession of a destructive device and reckless conduct.
Montag Hall
Montag Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. Montag is coed by floor and part of Fitten, Freeman, and Montag group often abbreviated "FFM." The building is named after Harold E. Montag, a 1918 Tech alum.
Montag was originally built for $632,000 and was designed by the architects Bradbury & Associates.
Clark Howell Hall
Howell Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. It is named for Clark Howell, original endower of WGST. Howell Hall was designed by architects Bush-Brown & Gailey for $163,000. Originally constructed in 1939, it underwent renovation as part of Georgia Tech's effort to renovate residence halls preceding the 1996 Olympics.
The building is located among Smith, Harrison, Brittain Dining, and N Williams St. (the I-85-North Ave exit) and features the only quad in FE North.
There are four floors in Howell, with the zero floor dedicated to an exercise room, bicycle closet, and a television lounge. Its first and third floors house females, while its second floor houses males.
Starting in the fall of 2012, Howell Hall housed only members of the Grand Challenges Program.
Crecine (Hemphill Avenue) Apartments
Crecine Apartments is an apartment-style residence hall at Georgia Tech. It opened in 1995 as housing for the athletes and journalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA as a part of the Olympic Village. Crecine originally cost $13,235,000 to construct and was designed by Jova Daniel Busby.
Crecine was originally known as Hemphill Avenue Apartments based on its location and proximity to Hemphill Avenue as was consistent with other apartment style housing on campus. Hemphill was renamed to Crecine in Fall 2008 in honor of former Georgia Tech President John Patrick Crecine, who had died earlier in the year.
Fitten Hall
Fitten Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience.
Fitten is coed by floor and part of Fitten, Freeman, and Montag group often abbreviated "FFM."
Fitten originally cost $729,000 to construct and was designed by Bradbury & Associates.
Smith Hall
Smith Residence Hall is a residence hall dedicated to John M. Smith, member of the first graduating class in Tech history. Smith Hall was designed by the architects Bush-Brown, Gailey and Heffernan and built for $614,000.
Smith Hall was originally designed as the athlete dormitory with a built-in cafeteria and hot tub. The cafeteria on the third floor has since been converted into a lounge but still retains the cafeteria serving line and salad bar. The room was the 6-man flex space in the Fall 2004-Spring 2005 and Fall 2005-Spring 2006 school years. Other dormitories experienced the flex spaces but not to the extent of Smith which could increase its capacity by 14 additional residents. The hot tub was located in the modern day Hall Director office and pipes from the tub remained in Smith up until Summer of 2003 during renovation.
Smith is the largest Freshman Experience dorm by area with 5 total floors, allocating 4 for residents. 0 floor houses East Campus custodial services. The broad side faces North Ave and the building is flanked by Brown Hall and Williams Street. Smith was the Southeastern most point of campus until Georgia Tech's acquisition of the North Avenue Apartment Complex (formerly the Georgia State Village), and is closest to the last defenses of Atlanta during the Civil War.
The Southeast corner of Smith leads to a large foyer that opens into a walled in green space. This green space was the extreme Southeastern point of Georgia Tech from 1996-2007. Before 1996, Techwood Dorm was the Southeastern tip of Georgia Tech and in 2007 the acquisition of the Georgia State Village has once again displaced Smith as the closest Tech building to the Varsity. Smith is approximately 500Â feet from the Atlanta landmark.
Caldwell Hall
Caldwell Residence Hall is a coed residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. Caldwell is a coed by floor and is the sibling dorm of Folk. The building is named after Hugh H. Caldwell, a Registrar for Georgia Tech in the early 1920s and 1930s. Caldwell originally cost $478,000 to construct and was designed by the architects Bull & Kenney.
In 2001, a group known as the "Caldwell Liberation Army" stole or vandalized over thirty signs removing the letter T. The group was upset by the renovations of Caldwell, which displaced all 157 residents for a year.
In Fall 2006, Caldwell housed the infamous "triples," which was a project that put three residents into a two-man room. Certain pieces of furniture were not provided to the third resident as to accommodate a third bed. When spaces became available in other parts of campus, the third resident was moved elsewhere.
The Folk Caldwell Ultimate Frisbee Team captured the Intramural Housing Division Ultimate Frisbee Championship beating Center Street Apartments in the Fall of 2008.
Brown Hall
Brown Residence Hall is an all-female dormitory in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience, dedicated in name of Julis L. Brown. It is located on the northeast corner of North Avenue and Techwood Drive. Brown Hall is the oldest active dormitory on campus, and is also the smallest of the institute's residence halls. It consists of four floors, with only three housing residents. The building has experienced flex spaces similar to Smith Hall in that a bathroom was converted into a bedroom. While residents were living in this room, the remainders of toilet plumbing still protruded from the flooring.
On September 9, 2004, a resident in Brown committed suicide.
Harrison Hall
Harrison Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. Harrison is dedicated to George W. Harrison. and currently all female. Harrison is the sister building to Howell Hall, both being built in 1939 behind Brittain Dining Hall. Harrison originally cost $183,000 to construct and was designed by the architects Bush-Brown & Gailey.
Harrison is the only FE building which features individual study cubicles on the third floor. The cubicles are built into a hallway that leads in Harrison's upper study lounge. Harrison also houses FE North's primary Learning Assistance Program location in its larger second floor lounge.
Center Street Apartments
Center Street Apartments are apartment-style residence halls at Georgia Tech. They opened in 1995 as housing for the athletes and journalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA as a part of the Olympic Village.
The Apartments are separated into 2 buildings which are known as either North or South. North houses 160 residents and South houses 192. Together, the Center Street Apartments originally cost $14,024,000 to construct and was designed by John Portman & Associates. John Portman is a famous alumnus of the university, graduating from Georgia Tech in 1950.
Eighth Street Apartments
Eighth Street Apartments are apartment-style residence halls at Georgia Tech. They opened in 1995 as housing for the athletes and journalists at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, GA as a part of the Olympic Village.
The Apartments are separated into 3 buildings which are known as either East, South, or West. East houses 216 residents, South houses 188, and West houses 248. Together, the Eighth Street Apartments originally cost $24,844,000 to construct and was designed by Cooper Carry.
Folk Hall
Folk Residence Hall is a residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience. Folk originally cost $478,000 to construct and was designed by the architects Bull & Kenney.
Folk is a coed by floor. It is the sibling dorm of Caldwell both being constructed mirror images of one another in 1969.
The Folk Caldwell Ultimate Frisbee Team captured the Intramural Housing Division Ultimate Frisbee Championship beating Center Street Apartments in the Fall of 2008.
The dorm is named after Edwin H. Folk, an esteemed English professor at Georgia Tech. He taught from 1924 to 1959 and became one of the most popular professors on campus during his tenure.
Circa 1980 students blocked off the 1st floor bathroom with plywood, purposely clogged bathroom drains and then turned on all water faucets; purposely creating a swimming pool out of the 1st floor bathroom.
In fall 1993, Folk was converted to an all-female dorm. A sizable remnant of Folk males made it over to Caldwell.
In Fall 2006, Folk housed the infamous "triples", which was a project that put three residents into a two-man room. Certain pieces of furniture were not provided to the third resident as to accommodate a third bed. When spaces became available in other parts of campus, the third resident was moved elsewhere.
Towers Hall
Towers Residence Hall is an all-male residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience located on the east side of campus. Towers is dedicated to Donigan Dean Towers.
Towers Residence Hall originally cost $481,000 to construct and was designed by architects Bush-Brown, Gailey, & Heffernan. It was built in 1947 by contractor J. A. Jones.
Towers was home to Dean James E. Dull during the early 1960s. While he resided in the staff apartment, he spotted a Ford Model A outside of Towers that would eventually become the Ramblin' Wreck.
Since 1990, Towers has hosted an annual haunted house in its attic. Georgia Tech students are invited every Halloween to enjoy the pranks and props in the attic created by East Campus residents.
In Fall 2006, Towers hall housed the infamous "triples", which was a project that put three residents into a two-man room. Certain pieces of furniture were not provided to the third resident as to accommodate a third bed. When spaces became available in other parts of campus, the third resident was moved elsewhere.
Towers is an archrival to neighbor dorm Glenn Hall. Glenn and Towers compete in an annual "Battle for the Quad" in which the winner determines the name of the greenspace located between the two structures. Towers had held the rights to the quad since Spring 2007 until Spring 2009, when Glenn finally won. Towers won in Spring 2010 and defended their title in Spring 2011. Following the pattern of two-year wins for Towers and one for Glenn, the rites were given back to Glenn in Spring 2012. Breaking this pattern, Glenn defended their title in 2016 when the Battle of the Quad returned after a short hiatus while the two buildings were being renovated.
Towers Hall also manages to field competitive teams outside of the interhall rivalry. Towers is always a strong competitor in the Mini 500 and the only Freshman Experience Residence Hall to win the men's division since FE's first year of 1992.
While the idea of a Towers mascot had been considered multiple years with such incarnations as a Spartan and a Chubacabra (an animal that preys on goats, the mascot of rival Glenn Hall). Residents of Towers have most recently been referred to as the Knights of Towers. Knights were chosen based on the qualities of strength, bravery, physical and mental fortitude, and chivalry.
In May 2013, Towers was taken offline as part of a two-year $41.5M renovation project to both Towers and Glenn Hall. The renovations will upgrade electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and fire protection systems of both buildings. There will also be new laundry rooms, bathrooms and study rooms amongst other amenities on each floor. For the first time in the buildings' history, elevators will be installed. A connecting building will also be constructed between Towers and Glenn, fulfilling the original 1940 master plan, which will include other student services. Renovations were completed for Towers before the 2014-2015 school year. Glenn was taken offline in May 2014 for its phase of the renovation and reopened in July 2015
Glenn Hall
Glenn Residence Hall is a co-ed residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience that was previously all male. Glenn is dedicated to William H. Glenn, Tech alumnus. Glenn Hall is a prime location for the Georgia Tech sports fan; it is the closest freshman residence hall to Bobby Dodd Stadium and Alexander Memorial Coliseum, and is right next to the lawn known as the Quad. It is also next to the GT Connector, a newly built study space between Glenn and Towers that also includes a small gym.
William H. Glenn graduated from Georgia Tech in 1891 with a degree in mechanical engineering. Glenn is most famous at Georgia Tech for assisting in the creation of the Georgia Tech Alumni Association, of which he was president in 1921. After his graduation, Glenn became a successful businessman working for the Georgia Railway & Electric Company and the Southeastern Compress & Warehouse Company.
Glenn Hall originally cost $607,000 to construct and was designed by Bush-Brown, Gailey, & Heffernan in 1947. Glenn is the largest capacity dormitory in Freshman Experience Program. Glenn Hall has four floors of residents and is flanked by Bobby Dodd Stadium and Towers Hall.
Glenn Hall was the site of a dry ice bombing that resulted in the Atlanta Bomb Squad responding in October 2005. A resident had made several dry ice bombs and left them outside of the hall. The proceeding morning, a facilities employee detonated the bombs by accident causing slight hearing damage. The student was initially charged with felony possession of a destructive device and reckless conduct.
The only true rivalry in Georgia Tech Housing is between Glenn and its archrival Towers Hall. Vandalism, pranks, and competition in various events are common amongst the two dormitories although the destructive facet of this rivalry is highly discouraged.
Annually since 2006, there has been a competition between Glenn and Towers called "The Battle for the Quad" in which the two battle for ownership of the quad separating the two buildings. The competition is set up as a week-long collection of various sporting events (such as soccer, basketball, pool, bowling, dodgeball, paintball, etc.), the championship going to whichever dorm claims the most victories. There are usually eight events, with a tie breaking tug-of-war competition if needed. Towers won the first Battle for the Quad, with a repeat victory the next year. However, in the 08-09 school year, Glenn answered with their first victory, 5-3. Towers then had a winning streak for a few years, and Glenn broke that streak with a win in the 11-12 school year. The competition did not take place in 2013 and 2014 as Glenn and Towers were being renovated, but was restarted in the 2015-16 school year, now taking place over one day and including other, non sporting events. Glenn is the current champion.
The Glenn Hall Goatman was first conceived for Glenn Hall intramurals in the Fall of 2002. The term Goatman was unofficially applied to any male who lived or had lived in Glenn Hall. The term was first officially applied to Glenn residents in Fall of 2003 when several Glenn Housing fliers made references to the Goatman. The most famous flier was made before the annual UGA game and it depicted a half-man half-goat sending lightning towards Athens, Georgia. In Fall of 2006 the Goatman adorned Glenn intramural jerseys for the first time. Despite initial discouragement, the Goatman remains the only official mascot for any hall in the Freshman Experience.
References
External links
- Georgia Tech Building List
- Georgia Tech Campus Map
