page_title: Hays Hall
section_title: Partial closing and demolition
hierarchical_section_title: Hays Hall / History / Partial closing and demolition
caption_attribution_description: English: Hays Hall at Washington &amp; Jefferson.
context_page_description: Hays Hall was a residence hall at Washington & Jefferson College. The architectural work was performed by Frederick J. Osterling and it was named after President George P. Hays. Construction was completed in 1903 and the new "fireproof" building was opened to Washington & Jefferson Academy students. Rooms were arranged in a suite style, with communal bathrooms on each floor, and shower baths on the 5th floor. In 1912, the Academy closed and Hays Hall was used by Washington & Jefferson College students. At various times, Hays Hall housed the bookstore and a dining hall. By 1968, Hays Hall had deteriorated to the point where it no longer able to house students, but the bookstore remained. In 1982, the building was declared a fire hazard and closed for all uses. While various efforts sought to renovate or restore Hays Hall, including a push to have it named a historical landmark, Hays Hall was demolished in 1994.
context_section_description: By 1968, Hays Hall had deteriorated to the point where it no longer able to house students.  The plaster walls had become difficult to maintain and the plumbing and heating units had fallen into disrepair.  The 4th and 5th floor had fallen the furthest into disrepair.  On February 1, 1968, the living quarters of the building were closed.  Student opinion was mixed on the decision. Some students has been unhappy with the inconvenient shower facilities and the echo-filled hallways, while other students expressed fondness for the building.  To replace the lost living space, the college entered into an agreement with the nearby George Washington Hotel, whereby the college rented the entire 5th and 6th floors as a dormitory for three years.  The Hays Hall furniture moved there as well.  These floors contained 25 rooms each, which was enough for the 86 former residents of Hays Hall, the House Mother, and four floor proctors.  The dining hall moved to newly completed The Commons in March 1968.  The infirmary remained, with the old dining hall converted into the Bookstore.  During its time as a dormitory, it was home to 4,000 freshmen.  
  At the time, the possibility of renovating the Hays Hall remained open.  Some plans called for the opening of the first three floors at a later date, converting the building to house office space, or expanding the Bookstore to encompass more of the first floor.  Another campus modification plan called for the closing of Lincoln Street and widening College Street, which would require the full demolition of Hays Hall.  In 1982, after years of neglect by the college and modernization of the fire code, the building was considered to be a fire hazard.  The central staircase was deemed especially hazardous, as it would operate as a flue in the event of a fire, which would quickly turn the building into a "furnace."  It was closed in 1982, with amorphous plans to refurbish it at a later date.
  During the 1980s and early 1990s, plans to renovate the building periodically resurfaced.  Other discussions considered having the building designated as a historic landmark.  These plans never materialized due to the costs involved.  Hays Hall was demolished in the summer and fall of 1994.  The orate ironwork in the lobby was preserved and later used in The Burnett Center.  Following demolition, the plot remained a green space for several years.
caption: A suite of rooms in Hays Hall
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