Clark Howell Hall – UGA 290 (1936, 1953; Category 3). Across South Lumpkin Street from Legion Pool is Clark Howell Hall, originally built as a dormitory in 1936, but later converted for use as a center for student testing, career planning, and job placement. It is named for Clark Howell, a prominent Georgia politician and editor.
Clark Howell Hall was the first building undertaken at the University with PWA funding. The building is named for Clark Howell, a prominent Georgia politician and editor. Like other PWA funded buildings at the University, Clark Howell Hall was sited, designed, and supervised by engineering professor Robert Driftmier and architect Roy Hitchcock and their staffs. Clark Howell Hall was sited at an isolated location along South Lumpkin Street, separated from other South Campus buildings by the steep sloped topography to its east and south.
The 1936 portion of Clark Howell Hall consists of a central mass and two side wings designed in a simplified Colonial Revival style and facing west toward South Lumpkin Street. The red brick building is two stories high with a traditional sloping roof. The central mass has a two-story projecting brick entrance with an entrance door and decorative Colonial Revival surround. The original entrance doors have been replaced with brown aluminum and glass door with sidelights. To each side of the entrance mass are French doors and secondary entrances, no longer in use.
The two side wings are simple brick structures with large metal windows with casement sash at each room the original metal windows are still present and are in need of maintenance. Vents for room air conditioner have been installed below most windows. The building has a simple wood cornice and new brown aluminum gutters.
Clark Howell was renovated in 1974 at a cost of $80,000.335 This may be the date that the building was adapted from dormitory to office use. The building currently houses the Career Center, Disability Resource Center, and University Testing Center. Symmetrical hipped roof additions have been added to each end of the building. The north addition is a simple pavilion and has three stories due to the slope. The south addition is a long wing that extends to the east. The design of the additions is similar to, but simpler than the original building.
On the interior, modifications have been made to the original building, but a great deal of original building fabric remains, including wood door frames and some wood doors. Interior modifications were well executed.
Clark Howell Hall retains a good degree of integrity.
Landscape Resources
The landscape is composed of paved walks that connect building entrances with adjacent roads and parking areas, turf lawn, mature tree plantings, and contemporary shrub borders. A metal fence edges the walk that parallels South Lumpkin Street. A paved plaza is located near the entrance into the building that faces South Lumpkin. Lighting, fencing, benches, and bike racks are afforded along the walks and plaza. With the exception of the mature trees and the alignment of some of the walks, the landscape is generally contemporary.
