Students say they are looking forward to the many events to be hosted at Palo Alto High School’s new Tower Building and Quad, following admin taking the construction fences down this morning.
According to junior Audrey Horn, the newly-opened space is a rewarding result after years of construction.
“It’s nice to see that there will finally be no more construction fences around the Quad,” Horn said. “They have been up for a couple years by now, so it’s really nice to get the space back. It also looks like a really nice area to hang out in, so I was pretty excited when it opened.”
Senior Sierra Rock echoed this sentiment, saying that the area provides opportunities to spend time with friends during lunch and prep periods.
“It’s nice having a lot more grass space and places to eat lunch, play spikeball, and hang out when there’s nice weather,” Rock said. “And when I’m on my prep, I can just chill.”
According to junior Cate Graney, the lush green grass and modern building architecture complement the campus appearance.
“It’s so pretty, and I think they did a great job at modernizing it [the Tower Building] and opening up the space while still preserving the Paly-esque, original elements,” Graney said. “I love the red finish. I love all of this.”
Reflecting on the two-year wait, senior Rori Escudero said she wishes the construction would have finished earlier so she could spend more time with the new features.
“It would have been nice to have had more space and have all of the Quad be open, but I understand it’s hard to do it quickly,” Escudero said. “At least there’s so many students around, like the underclassmen [who will] get to enjoy it.”
According to Berkson, while the Quad is now open to students, the Tower Building is still undergoing several adjustments.
“The Tower won’t be completely done until mid-July,” Berkson said. “We still have furniture coming in, as well as still working on some mechanical issues with the elevator.”
In an interview with The Paly Voice March 5, Principal Brent Kline said that students can expect similarities with the Tower Building from before renovations.
“It’s being taken back to its original state that’s beautiful,” Kline said. “Hardwood floors have been refinished, with all new cabinetry built around it. The original lighting was taken down, it was refurbished, and it was placed back up.”
The renovations include a two-story high church-like space that once housed the original Paly Library. According to Kline, this designated area will be used as an interactive learning environment.
“It’s going to be a spot where students can come in for some more support from adults,” Kline said. “Certified teachers and also some adult volunteers will serve as tutors and mentors. There are some cohorts of student groups that can use the space for a variety of different academic endeavors.”
