Editing Ricketts Building

=Ricketts Campus=

Palmer Ricketts, a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alum and professor, became the ninth Institute Director in 1892. During his administration, in 1901, his role was expanded to President. He held this title until he died in 1934 [1]. Ricketts used his role as President to expand the campus physically, in the number of academic buildings as well as the student population. During his administration, "ten major academic buildings and twenty-nine dormitory units were constructed". These buildings can be distinguished by their similar green roofs. He also added degree programs in mechanical, chemical, metallurgical, aeronautical, and industrial engineering, as well as architecture [2].

=Construction and Location=

The building began construction in 1933 and was finished in 1935. It was called Van Rensselaer Hall during construction, and became the Ricketts Building upon completion in honor of Palmer Ricketts, who died during its construction. Its location is between the '87 Gym and the Troy Building along Sage Avenue. It is built of brick and limestone, with steel and concrete floors. The interior was made of tiles and looked similar in and out to the other buildings constructed during Ricketts' Presidency. The building was the first on campus to have a welded steel frame. Ricketts intended to construct the building as solid as possible in order to make its laboratories "among the best of their kind" [3].

In February 1974, plans for a new engineering center were revealed to the public. Two options were identified: a completely new center in another location, or renovating and connecting the Sage and Ricketts buildings. The renovation plan, deemed least expensive, was approved in the spring of 1974. At the June 1974 meeting of the Board of Trustees, the options were reviewed again, and the Board decided in favor of a new engineering center and the possible renovating of Sage, Troy, and Ricketts, with the plan to move activities from West Hall, Pittsburgh and Carnegie into the newly renovated buildings. [4] After the completion of the Johnson Engineering Center, the other departments were moved out of the Ricketts Building, leaving the Chemical and Environmental Engineering department and the Aeronautical wind tunnel.

=Purpose=

Ricketts intended the building to house laboratories for newly introduced degree programs, namely aeronautical, metallurgical, and chemical engineering. One laboratory was made for each degree, and a wind tunnel and engine testing department was made specifically for aeronautical research. The labs were spread throughout the building, taking up parts of almost every floor, excluding the second floor. The remaining space in the building was designated as offices, common lecture rooms, and common recitation rooms. The building allowed for specialized research on new degree programs while also expanding general teaching and staffing room on campus in order to accommodate for the growing student body [3].

Today, the Ricketts Building is home to the [[Howard P. Isermann]] Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering [5]. Outside of the building, there is a memorial to Palmer C. Ricketts, erected by the Theta Xi fraternity. According to the placard, Ricketts was the 84th member of the fraternity.

=References=

[1] Palmer C. Ricketts, Rensselaer Institute Archives and Special Collections, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/palmer-c-ricketts

[2] Mr. Rensselaer, Rensselaer Archives, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. https://www.rpi.edu/dept/library/html/Archives/gallery/ricketts/president/president.html

[3] Ricketts Building, Rensselaer Institute Archives and Special Collections, Building Histories, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/ricketts-building

[4] Jonsson Engineering Center, Rensselaer Institute Archives and Special Collections, Building Histories, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY. 
https://archives.rpi.edu/institute-history/building-histories/jonsson-engineering-center

[5] Contact | The Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. https://cbe.rpi.edu/contact