Sims Hall
Contract for Construction Announced: March 28, 1906
Occupied: September, 1907
Cost: $135,000
Style: Renaissance
Architect: Revels and Hallenbeck
Materials: Marble base; red brick and terra cotta
Notes:
In January, 1906 the Board of Trustees approved Chancellor Day's proposal to build a men's dormitory. The building was divided into five sections and had the largest dining facilities in Syracuse at the time. The dining hall occupied the ground floor of the wing facing College Place. The architects were Professors Frederick Revels and Earl Hallenbeck. The building was named in honor of Charles N. Sims, third Chancellor of the University who served from June, 1881 to October, 1893. John D. Archbold contributed approximately $122,000 for its construction. Dr. Galpin, in his history of the University, states the building was constructed with library endowment funds raised as a condition for the gift from Andrew Carnegie. John D. Archbold was reported to be the largest contributor to this $150,000 endowment. Yet, in a letter from Frederick H. Hurdman, a public accountant, to Mr. Archbold containing a schedule of Archbold's contributions to Syracuse University from 1886 to 1914, nothing is listed for the library endowment, while $122,500. is listed for the men's dormitory. All the news accounts of the construction of Sims Hall state it was being built through the generosity of John D. Archbold.
In August, 1944, Sims Hall was converted into a freshman women's dormitory and remained a women's living center until the Fall of 1956 when it became a men's dormitory.
In late 1946 construction started on the dining hall addition to Sims, but shortages of material slowed the construction and students did not begin to use the dining hall until February 1948, and even then the addition was not complete.
During the 1960's two sections of the dormitory, Sims IV and V, were converted into offices for the Psychology Department. The basement contained the office of the University Switchboard.
In 1963 Sims career as a dormitory ended and the building was converted to classrooms and offices. Sections IV and V were transformed and the other three divisions were cleared of occupants when the new dorms (men's) were completed.
