MUNCIE, Ind. - Ball State University's renovated Studebaker West residence hall complex opens its doors to the public Aug. 24 for a celebration with tours and a tribute to its namesake.

The free event from 4 to 5 p.m. includes refreshments, prize giveaways and guided tours of the complex's new studio rooms, fitness room, computer lab, hall desk and directors' apartments.

Ball State President Blaine Brownell also will unveil a bronze plaque of the late Mark E. Studebaker for the lobby.

Located near New York and Neely avenues on the east side of campus, the nine-story Studebaker West originally opened in 1964. It includes Davidson, Painter, Palmer and Whitcraft halls.

The renovation project funded through housing reserves began in 1998. More than 900 students are moving into the residence hall for the 2000-2001 school year.

Studebaker West now features air-conditioned rooms, new furniture, a new computer lab, a fitness room and a central lobby/lounge area that is more accessible to students with disabilities. The building had contained four separate entrances.

The renovated hall includes 58 additional student rooms, bringing the total to 489. The new Studebaker Studios contain two rooms to accommodate separate living and bedroom areas.

A new Micro Cafe will serve microwavable, single-portion sizes of some of the most popular food items offered by Residence Halls Dining Service. Studebaker West also features new laundry facilities, meeting rooms and four elevators that service all nine floors and the basement.

"The renovated Studebaker West offers students a variety of living options, a great location near classrooms and athletic facilities, as well as an interior that is visually attractive and comfortable," said Alan Hargrave, Ball State's director of housing and residence life.

The complex's more contemporary look is enhanced by European styling and a glass-block decor.

Scholer Corp. of Lafayette was the architect for the renovation and for the original construction of Studebaker West. Project architect Steve Goffinet is a graduate of Ball State's College of Architecture and Planning. Hagerman Construction of Fort Wayne was the contractor for the renovation.

Mark E. Studebaker, the building's namesake, chaired Ball State's business education department from 1918 to 1954, and he organized and managed the first bookstore on campus.

Studebaker also started the Ball State Commerce Journal and created the Alma W. Studebaker Memorial Lectureship in business education. He wrote a bookkeeping and accounting book that was widely used in Midwestern schools.

Studebaker was a native of rural Delaware County and a graduate of Muncie High School. He died in 1957 at age 67.

By Ted Buck, Communications Manager

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information about this story, contact housing director Alan Hargrave at (765) 285-8011 or e-mail: ahargrav@bsu.edu.)