Antioch Hall, North and South Halls


Antioch Hall, North and South Halls are a group of historic buildings on the campus of Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. They were the college's three original buildings, and were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Greene County, Ohio in 1975.

History

Antioch Hall

Antioch Hall was constructed in the 1852–53 timeframe by architect Alpheus Marshall Merrifield. It combines elements of Romanesque, Greek Revival and Gothic architectural styles, the latter being most noticeable in its towers.
It underwent a massive renovation from 1958 to 1962. This included the inset of a concrete structure inside the original building which stabilized it and insulated its interior against weather and degradation. The renovation also created four floors, instead of the previous three, and relocated its entrance from the east side to the west side.
Antioch Hall was closed along with the College in June 2008; however, while the College reopened, Antioch Hall did not. Lack of heating led to plumbing failures and flooding in February of 2009. Some restoration has been done, the largest from a $500,000 directed grant from Yellow Springs Community Foundation in 2019, intended to tackle projects of immediate need such as reintroducing heating. But considerable additional funding is needed to bring the building back online, with estimates ranging from $7.5 million to $20 million.

North Hall

North Hall is an operational residence hall. Its first residents were the entering class of 1853. In 2011 it underwent a $5.7 million renovation effort to combine both comfortable and sustainable living. It reopened in 2012.

South Hall

South Hall was also shuttered in 2008, and experienced flooding after the closure. However, alumni and villagers helped push an environmental cleanup effort to dry it out. It reopened after some exterior renovations in January of 2010. It is the location of college offices, as well as Herndon Gallery, which is used for exhibitions and academic conferences.