Old Main Renovation
Goal: $2,000,000
"I am grateful to Mercyhurst for giving me a solid education and excellent Christian life values. Contributing to Continuing the Legacy is my honor and pleasure." - Martha
William and Martha Wurst Hilbert '59
To become one of the best private colleges in the nation, the legacy of the past must be preserved while looking to the future. The legacy of Mother Borgia and the Sisters of Mercy - Old Main - still stands proudly as the centerpiece of a beautiful campus.
Old Main was completed in 1926 and after 75 years of service is beginning to show its age. Though the glories of the building's stone architecture remain intact, every homeowner knows the need to refurbish old systems and bring buildings up to date.
More than 900 windows in Old Main need replacements, and the heating and cooling systems are no longer adequate for the increased need on them. In addition, modern fire and security equipment is needed.
The college's founders could never have anticipated the heavy reliance on electricity that our students would develop. Computers, televisions, and VCRs are standard equipment for the modern classroom. Today's students also bring refrigerators, microwaves, compact disc players and a host of other electronic conveniences to school with them, placing additional burdens on systems never designed to handle the load.
In order to restore Old Main to full functionality, as well as provide the facelift needed to restore it to full glory, $2.2 million is needed. The maintenance of a treasure such as Old Main is part of the responsibility of the legacy, but even more, it is a vital step in modernizing a growing campus.