Jerome Greene Hall
Jerome Greene Hall (sometimes referred to simply as Greene) is the primary home of Columbia Law School and is one of Columbia's hideous 1960s architectural mistakes. It is named after wealthy alumnus Jerome L. Greene.
History
Planning
Greene, along with Uris for the Business School, Mudd for the Engineering School, and IAB for SIPA, was built with donor money solicited by the deans of the respective schools. The primary aims of each dean and donor was to build the most cost-efficient and practical building for the school- aesthetics weren't really all that important. And whatever aesthetics considered were those informed by 1960s chic, i.e. ugly.
Design
The building was designed by Max Abromovitz of the firm Harrison and Abramovitz, better known for their work on Lincoln Center. The window boxes on the two narrow ends of the building, often described as being fit for a Mussolini-esque dictator to salute the masses, have earned the building its nickname of "the toaster." The building opened in the fall of 1961, and a mural recognizing donors for the building is on the western wall of the main lobby.
Revision and renovation
The building's western facade is graced by Jacques Lipschitz's sculpture Bellerophon Taming Pegasus, donated in 1977. The sculpture is said to represent the experience CLS 1Ls endure.
In the late 1990s the Jerome Greene underwent a major renovation, resulting the construction of the new entrance, lounges, and cafeteria, Lenfest Cafe, on 116th and Amsterdam. This was followed by gut renovations of the building's classrooms and offices. In 2007 construction began to add a 9th floor to the building.
Pictures
Jerome Greene at night
A model of Jerome Greene Hall
Drapkin Lounge, built during the extension of Greene in the late 90's
Lenfest Cafe, a dining services location in Greene
The CLS logo in the new lobby of Greene Hall
