Dennis M. Burke Hall
Location: Between Fox River and the mall, at the end of Marsh Street
Architects: Gordon J. Feldhausen and Gardner Coughlan, Green Bay
Cost: $286,000 building + $35,000 equipment = $321,000
This building was dedicated October 4, 1942, but was occupied by 150 students for the first time on September 23 of that year. Between 1942 and 1954, this structure was known as "Residence Hall." It was the first St. Norbert College building erected exclusively for student housing. In 1954, it was given the name "Berne Hall," after the Norbertine mother abbey in Holland. On June 1,1979, it was renamed "Dennis M. Burke Hall" after the second president of the College. As vice president of St. Norbert, Father Burke directed the fundraising and the construction of the hall in 1940 and 1941. The entire cost of the building was covered by donations from a fundraising effort in Northeastern Wisconsin. Over 6,000 firms and residents contributed amounts ranging from $1 to $50,000. The building was occupied 15 months after construction began.
During the fundraising, many people that that building Berne Hall was a foolish move because, they said, the College did not need it, and that it was too expensive. Skeptics, in fact, dubbed Berne Hall "Burke's Folly." As it turned out, "Burke's Folly" turned into "Burke's Foresight." During World War II, this residence hall was occupied by several hundred U.S. Army soldiers assigned to St. Norbert College for higher education courses. This occurred at a time when more than 90 percent of the College's all-male enrollment of 340 students had been called to military service. Because Berne Hall was there to accommodate the GIs, St. Norbert prospered and grew stronger.
The original planes for the building included rooms for 144 students, six suites for councelors, student lounges on each floor - both North and South - a richly paneled lobby decorated in early Colonial style, a dining room for 250 people, modern kitchens, and a soda fountain-cafeteria with booths to accommodate 40 people. The exterior architecture is Williamsburg Colonial or early American, with many of the features of buildings in Old Williamsburg, the early capitol of the Virginia territory.
Burke Hall was partially remodeled in 1975 and again in 1977 under President Neil J. Webb. Thirty-two rooms were added to the ground floor formerly occupied by the kitchenn, the dining room, and the cafeteria. The cost of this work, $153,730, was recovered by gifts from the College's Priorities Campaign. The new rooms were ready for occupancy for the 1977 August fall semester.
From May 18 to August 29, 1986, another remodeling took place. Electrical, mechanical, security, and architectural improvements were made.The total cost of this renovation by the College's Department of Facilities, by Baenen Electric and the O.M. Construction Company came to $240,000.