herr2ck: Collegiate Gothic

September 2024.

Pomerene Hall is a fantastic example of the Collegiate Gothic style of architecture, although scaled down to a level that was appropriate for the then-small Ohio State. I may trash on Xichigan and hate them with every fiber of my being, but I greatly envy their flamboyant Law Quadrangle. Our law building is just an oddly shaped box. Pomerene Hall is on south campus, bordered by Mirror Lake to the north, 12th Avenue and Oxley Hall to the south, Kuhn House to the east, and Jennings Hall to the west.

History

Pomerene Hall under construction in 1921. (University Archives)

Pomerene Hall was designed in 1919 by university architect Joseph N. Bradford. It was built starting May 1921 by Robert H. Evans Co. and was completed that October. When it was first built, Pomerene Hall served as the women’s student union, the counterpart to the men’s Ohio Union (now Hale Hall). Its original layout held a gymnasium for physical education classes and social spaces for women to use.

Pomerene Hall’s original footprint.

A social space inside Pomerene Hall c. 1948. (Buckeye Stroll)

In 1925, it was determined an addition was needed, and Bradford was commissioned again to design it. Construction began that October, executed by D. W. McGrath & Sons, and the newly renovated Pomerene Hall opened in September 1927. This addition added a pool, more social spaces, and a kitchen and dining hall known as the Refectory (now Mirror Lake Eatery).

Pomerene Hall’s footprint after its first addition designed in 1925.

Pomerene Hall before (1925) and after its addition (1927). (University Archives)

Pomerene Hall continued its use as a student union until the then-new co-educational Ohio Union was built near High Street. This caused it to lose much of its previous tenants, although women’s physical education classes were still held there until the 1970s. The building became fully co-ed in 1957, when the Dean of Men’s offices were moved to the building.

Students in front of Pomerene Hall c. 1952. (University Archives)

In 1960 another addition was made to Pomerene Hall, designed by university architect W. E. Linch. It was built July-December of 1960 by Henry A. Justus. This addition filled in voids between the earlier addition and the original building. I was unable to find any photos of this addition, but knowing Linch’s work, it was likely in a clashing Modernist style.

Pomerene Hall’s footprint after W. E. Linch’s addition.

Pomerene Hall, undated, showing Bradford’s first addition to the rear of the original building. McMillin Observatory can be seen in the background. (University Archives)

Pomerene Hall has recently been renovated twice, in 2011 and 2018. The 2011 renovation was less extensive and modified office spaces and archives within the building. In 2018, Acock Associates did a larger renovation that included both gut-renovation and preservation. They hired local historians and masonry professionals to find materials that exactly matched the originals for the new construction, and old fixtures such as the woodwork, plaster, and stained glass were restored. Pomerene Hall currently houses the Data Analytics and History of Art Departments, the Transitional Data Analytics Institute, and Mirror Lake Eatery. The most striking new feature is the three-story glass atrium, replacing W. E. Linch’s addition.

Pomerene Hall’s current footprint.

A snowy Pomerene Hall, undated, but likely from the 1980s-1990s. (CML)

A few other tidbits of history I could find that I had a hard time fitting in elsewhere:

The Refectory (now Mirror Lake Eatery) was a laboratory for Institutional Management students during its lifetime, and it was later known as “The Rathskeller” and “Mirror Lake Creamery”.

“Rathskeller” sign, undated. (Ohio State TDAI)

Before Pomerene’s major renovation, the swimming pool became abandoned and urban explorer Ronny Salerno famously visited it. You can read his article here. I found it very interesting, and it makes me feel less bad about “borrowing” one of his photos:

(Ronny Salerno)

Pomerene Hall is named after Frank Pomerene (1868-1919). Pomerene graduated from The Ohio State University in 1891 with a bachelor's degree in arts, and four years later he earned his law degree. He was a prominent lawyer and had one of the largest firms in the state of Ohio. Most notably, he was on the Board of Trustees for 15 years and served until his death in 1919.

Photos

Pomerene Hall is one of my favorite buildings on campus, and I ate at Mirror Lake Eatery while on the dining plan at least once a week. Listening to the rain surrounded by beautiful woodwork and pretty stained glass was always a good way to relax after a long day. I wasn’t happy with my west facade shots from September 2024, so here’s a better one from March:

My favorite detail of Pomerene is the entry portal and oriel window above. Here’s a detail of it:

Unlike the main west facade, the south facade is perfectly symmetrical:

The projecting tower is also very rich in detail. I like the carved lintel with the shields and the stone cross in the middle.

The rear facade has a large gap, which is filled with the Acock addition’s atrium. Although the glass curtain wall is much different than the red brick and stone, its small size allows it to appear secondary to the original building.

Here’s a closer view of the addition, plus the awaiting Grubhub robots.

Compare this shot of the northeast corner to the one from the 1980s seen earlier in the post:

I also love this second-floor entrance above Mirror Lake Eatery. Why don’t they put griffins on buildings anymore?

The view from the balcony is exquisite.

When entering the building from the west, this is your view:

The plasterwork on the ceiling is super ornate and full of cool details.

Turning left and heading north, here are some second-floor classrooms. I particularly like the doors with the Gothic pointed arch incorporated into them.

Going up to the third floor, here’s the inside of the atrium. Not sure what’s going on with the goofy target-looking artwork:

The left side used to be an exterior wall and was left as it is, which makes it look rather quirky. Notice the floating door at middle left. On the first floor, there’s a small display with artifacts from the original building:

I wanted to see if the old gym still existed on the fourth floor (Acock’s photos show it was renovated, but the wood floor is still there), but that seems to be the offices of the Transitional Data Analytics Institute, so that was a bust. While searching for another way up, I found another exterior wall that was exposed:

The bottom floor most significantly houses Mirror Lake Eatery. Maybe one day I’ll make the time to show up right as it opens and take photos of the details inside when nobody’s around, but this crappy phone shot is all you’re gonna get for now:

Most of the details are visible here anyways. The walls have dark wood wainscoting and the roof is low and vaulted, both of which create a cozy atmosphere. The vaults are connected to the walls by corbels with engravings of fruit. Many features appear original or at least pretty old, like the glass and doors visible at left.