Placebook: Loving the Un-Loveable Building

Harrelson Hall, N.C. State University
Harrelson Hall, N.C. State University

In honor of returning to my alma mater (the undergraduate one) for our annual PR Day,I wanted to take a moment and talk about its most unusual building. Some of you may think I want to talk about this one. Yes, it’s special. But it’s getting a lot of love and support now. No, the one I want to really discuss is the one pictured above.

At one time, it was  revolutionary, much like the Hunt Library is now. However, according to this account, things quickly went south. Oh and the building is too; it’s rumored (among other things) that the building is sinking in the ground. However, even though it may not exist in a few years, either from collapsing under its own weight or being torn down once all the student amenities move to the renovated student center in 2015, it’s still lovable.

Currently, those amenities include the bookstore and the Student Government. When I was in school, it was the math, history, and sometimes Spanish building. In other words, I spent a lot of time there, in its pie shaped classrooms and walking down its spiral ramp. I also complained along with everyone else about its steep outdoor staircases, tore a few holes in items in its tight and sharp wooden seats and got dizzy walking up and down the ramp. However, I also aced both math classes I took in that building, including one that I completely flunked out of in high school. And it’s an architectural marvel. Round buildings don’t exist everywhere. In essence, even our most hated buildings can house our best achievements and most unique and interesting ideas.

And with that, today’s news (will also be hashtaging and photographing my visit via Twitter and Instagram with #prday2014 and #ncstate):

Another one of those list sites has this list of the top small towns/cities in North Carolina.

Heated words were exchanged at Tuesday night’s Greensboro City Council meeting over nonprofit salaries.

You can soon get your gourmet PB&J fix in downtown Greensboro.

Greensboro’s economic development director is retiring.

The City of Raleigh wants to buy the Dorothea Dix campus from the state.

The Stanley Furniture plant in Graham County is closing, making western North Carolina’s most jobless county even more jobless.

Downtown Greensboro’s Scuppernong Books gets good marks from UNCG’s Carolinian for being student and young people friendly.

A downtown Winston-Salem daycare opened with incentives is now seeking more help from city leaders to continue to operate.

Carrboro may ban drive-throughs throughout the entire town.

Wilmington has a long way to go to be more business friendly, according to a study.

The State of North Carolina expects to have its unemployment insurance debt paid off by the end of next year.

Buncombe County sheriff’s office is moving.

Not just one but two hotels will be coming to the old BB&T property in Asheville.

North Carolina has been named the 10th most dangerous state for cyclists by the publication Insurance Business America.

Why the state of North Carolina may regret making so many of its employees exempt from the State Personnel Act.

The Durham Bulls stadium got a 20 million dollar makeover in the offseason.

Raleigh police have ordered three cars, each from one of the Big Three automakers, and are testing them to decide which car will replace the entire fleet.

How one apartment management firm in Raleigh is seeing the benefit of investing in non-luxury apartments.

The blowout bar trend has made it to Charlotte.

And finally, the NC Department of Public Instruction has released the annual school crime and safety report, which also includes the dropout rate for all North Carolina public schools.