On March 5th, 2005, eleven students left Indiana and headed south for a Spring Break field study in Galveston, Texas. Led by alumnus David Kroll of Ratio Architects and with the guidance and support of alumnus Marsh Davis, Executive Director of the Galveston Historical Foundation, the group completed a full condition assessment of the Hendley Building, a 1858 commercial structure in Galveston's National Historic Landmark Strand District.

Graciously housed by the Galveston Historical Foundation in the 1838 Menard House, the oldest surviving house in the city, the students greatly enjoyed the balmy weather and southern hospitality of the island. 

Built as a warehouse, the Hendley Building originally stood along the main wharf road and stored cargo being shipped through Galveston Bay. Over the years it has also served as housing for sailors, a wholesale fruit market, a marine supply store, and a liquor store. The partitions created to divide the  second and third floors into smaller rooms for the sailors are still in place. During the Civil War, the Hendley Building played a significant role in the Battle of Galveston. Documentation from the period depicts cannons firing into the bay from the second floor of the Hendley Building. Today, one of the granite columns on the east side of the building bears the scar of a cannonball fired during the historic battle.

The students divided the assessment into several areas including: windows, roof/structural systems, exterior masonry, storefront, awning, interior finishes, site, and plan. Two days of crawling in and around the building offered the students a first hand experience of down and dirty fieldwork. Luckily, the Menard House had a washing machine! Several students also spent time researching the history of the building and of the Strand District at the local library and in the Historic Resources room at the Galveston Historical Foundation.

At the end of the week, the students presented their findings to the owner of the building and to board members of the Galveston Historical Foundation (GHF). A formal copy of their work and recommendations for future uses will be sent to GHF in May. Some of the adaptive reuse possibilities being explored by the students include: a boutique hotel,retail space, a farmer's market, and lofts. Following the presentation, the entire group was treated to a tour of the bay and a Mexican feast on the Foundation's open air tour boat, the Seagull II. A wonderful ending to a great field experience!