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The new physical plant building -- the Cutten Maintenance Center -- on the
Bates campus was dedicated on Wednesday September 3rd at noon in a ceremony
behind Merrill Gym. The Cutten Maintenance Center was built using funds
bequeathed to Bates by recently deceased engineer William K. Cutten `38. This
new maintenance center was built to replace the 35 year-old Andrews Road
Maintenance Center, which was demolished in order to make room for a new Bates
academic building. The new two-story, 31,030 square foot maintenance center
houses all physical plant operations including administrative offices, shops
and storage for the skilled trades (plumbing, electricity, carpentry, and
painting), and operations areas for grounds maintenance, custodial services,
and shipping and receiving. A spacious plans/drawing room has been added as
well as dining, lounge, and training rooms for the 120 member staff. The
Cutten Maintenance Center has been designed and equipped to provide safe and
effective work spaces, including a separate spray paint booth in the paint
shop, several exhaust hoods in the plumbing, carpentry, and equipment
maintenance areas, a new welding area and hood, and exhaust and CO2 detection
systems in the vehicle and equipment garage. The old Bates maintenance
building was built 25 years ago to serve as headquarters for various buildings
and grounds staff who had been working out of offices in dormitory basements.
The cupola from the old maintenance building now rests in a grove of trees in
front of the Cutten Maintenance Center. Phyllis Graber Jensen, a staff writer
at College Relations, says the cupola serves as a "link between the old and the
new."
During the dedication ceremony, President Harward spoke about William Cutten
and the future hopes of the Cutten Maintenance Center. The building's improved
features and healthier work environment will better enable the physical plant
staff to sustain the beauty and physical integrity of the campus through their
talented work and hard effort. The Bates workers were praised for their
dedication, loyalty, and work. President Harward expressed his feelings that
the Cutten Maintenance Center is a "space which speaks of the importance of
their work." During the dedication a time capsule from the old maintenance
center was unveiled. It contained old campus papers, catalogues, and coins.
The new academic building being built in place of the Andrews Road Maintenance
Center is a 17 million dollar project expected to be completed in 1999. "This
is the most ambitious building project undertaken in the history of the
college" says President Harward. The new building, to be positioned on the
Bates Campus overlooking Lake Andrews, will provide classroom, laboratory, and
faculty office space for seven social science departments and four
interdisciplinary programs.
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- September 5, 1997