Cabot's Briggs Hall Opens After Facelift

Amid confetti, band music, and lingering doubts about the future of the Radcliffe Quad renovations, Cabot House's newly remodelled Briggs Hall opened its doors yesterday to hundreds of cheering students and all the University's big brass.

After seven months and about $5 million, Briggs has been transformed from a decaying structure full of cramped singles, leaky ceilings, and flaking walls, to suites with private bathrooms, skylights and a fresh layer of paint.

Oliver Barrett would have a hard time recognizing the building where he stood at the bell desk, awaiting Jenny in Erich Segal's novel, "Love Story."

The Briggs facelift is the first step in the $27 million proposed Quad renovation project. But in the face of escalating costs and doubts about where future millions will come from, it is unclear how many other Quad buildings will share Briggs's magic transformation. Harvard plans to spend another $15 million on the other two Quad houses, but officials have said that money may not buy the level of luxury originally promised.

Construction on Cabot House's Barnard and Bertram Halls will begin on schedule this week, but officials remain unsure as to the fate of North House renovations and the promised joint dining hall (See story this page).

Once work on Barnard and Bertram is completed, the $12 million previously raised for the Quad will run out.

But celebrators at yesterday's "Grand and Gala Ribbon Cutting and O-Fish-ial Opening of Briggs Hall" did not let concerns about the future hamper their enjoyment of the present.

On hand for the event were Harvard President Derek C. Bok, Radcliffe President Matina S. Horner, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences A. Michael Spence, Dean of the College L. Fred Jewett '57 and house namesakes Virginia Wellington and Thomas D. Cabot '19.

"I think the spirit of this house is very high indeed," said Thomas Cabot.

Students and administrators alike spent most of the afternoon oohing and aahing at the 80-student dormitory's new features, mingling with distinguished guests, and munching on fish-theme foods.

Briggs residents spent the fall term living in Barnard and Bertram. They moved into the 26-suite Briggs Hall two weeks ago.

The festivities brought a healthy dose of levity among College officials from the Yard to the Quad.

"Do you know about the fish, the Cabot House fish?" Master Myra A. Mayman asked Spence as he stepped inside from the sluaby Briggs doorstep. "Come on in, let me explain it to you."

The fish, a central part of the house shield, became Cabot's mascot after the Loeb Drama Center donated a 15-foot wooden version of the aquatic creature last year. The fish motif reappeared throughout yesterday's festivities, taking such forms as a Fish-shaped cake, a fishnet hanging from the ceiling by the entrance, and gummiFish and goldFish crackers sprinkled liberally in bowls throughout the reception room.

"The party's terrific," said Horner, who helped Bok cut the ribbon. "I hope they get the rest of it done," she added.

"We'll keep going as long as the money lasts," Spence said. "This definitely suggests it's worth it."

"It's spectacular," Jewett said. "I think theseare among the nicest rooms and facilities in theCollege. It's just very interesting--notpredictable or box-like, like some modernbuildings."

Each of the building's suites is somehowdifferent from the others--both in constructionand decoration. The uniqueness was honored as partof the opening celebration, with awards given forthe most "outrageously original," "typicallytypical," "best bachelor," "hopelessly homey,""casually comfortable," and "most with the least"suites.

"We like the rooms a lot." said Briggs Hallresident Robert M. Westlake '86. "It sure beatsliving in a room with one inch of sewage water,"he added.

Westlake's only complaint about the new BriggsHall was that the newly installed elevator was alittle bit slow.

"We'll see if we can speed it up a bit," saidConstruction Manager Roger J. Cayer Jr.. when toldof the complaint. Cayer said that the hydraulicfluid might still be a bit too thick, but that itwould thin with time.

Cayer said he was "generally pleased" with thefinished Briggs Hall, although he added that hehad "learned a lot of things," and might considerdoing the floors in future renovationsdifferently.

But, he said, "The furniture helps--it hidessome defects. It looks much different now. For thefirst time, it looks like a habitable space."

"We wanted to make it a place students wouldlike to come home to," Cayer said, "We tried toreach a parity with the river houses--or go evenone better."

Winthrop House Master James A. Davis, on handfor the opening, suggested that they might havecome close, saying, "We think it looks absolutelybeautiful." Added Co-Master Martha H. Davis,smiling, "Maybe we'll ask for a transfer."

There were some students who expresseddissatisfaction with the renovations. Anthony L.Simon '85, now a student at the Graduate School ofDesign, said that with the renovated suites"living here is the same as living at the river,but farther. We used to have our own rooms, whichthe river didn't offer."

But most students seemed pleased with their newsuites, as did their master. "It's gorgeous. Thatsums it up," Mayman said.

Added North House Acting Master Robert M.Woollacott: "It's marvelous for Cabot House. I'mconfident that they'll do the same for North.