Current Messiah University students have watched the recent demolition of Hoffman slowly progress this semester. The construction was a part of Messiah’s plan, which included the construction of the new Kim Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center and the renovation of many other buildings on campus.
As construction workers continue to clean up the remains of Hoffman, the building will soon be forgotten and fade into history. Many current students know little about Hoffman, and incoming students will likely have no idea it even existed.
Many students know that Hoffman was home to some academic and faculty offices throughout the past few years, but unless students had parents or older relatives that attended Messiah, they know nothing beyond that.
Hoffman was originally built to be a residence hall in 1952. It contained women’s dorm rooms, as well as a health center.
The building has changed a lot since 1952. It has housed The Writing Center, the Office of Academic Accessibility (then known as Disability Services), a commuter lounge and Information Technology Services. These offices have all been relocated to various locations on campus.
When creating Messiah’s construction plan, there was a chance that Hoffman was going to be renovated. This would have provided extra space for admissions offices prior to the construction of the new Admissions and Welcome Center. However, it was ultimately decided that it would be too expensive.
As a result, the new Admissions and Welcome Center was built, and the Hoffman building was demolished. This is going to allow for a green space, which will provide a visually appealing connection among the academic buildings in the center of campus.
Many current and former students were upset about the decision to demolish Hoffman. Some alumni remember living there, and the memory of this building provided them nostalgia. Some current students even asked construction workers if they could each take a brick as a commemorative piece for themselves or a family member.
Although Hoffman may soon be forgotten, Messiah University will continue to change and flourish. Projects like the demolition of this building and placement of a green space in its place will provide much needed updates to our campus.