Pangle Hall a vision of tomorrow through the restoration of the past
Photo by Peri McIntosh
Lee University's envisioned south campus is coming to life after years of planning with the building of the new Communications Building and now the dedication of Pangle Hall.
On Tuesday Oct. 28 lanterns were lit, walkways lined and doors opened to see what lay behind the familiar exterior of what was once the First Baptist Church of Cleveland and now is home to Lee's Pangle Hall.
The hall, a beautifully renovated performance venue was restored to showcase the many talented musicians that are trained and perform on the Lee campus.
As President Paul Conn said in his dedication of the historical building, the vision of a southern campus started over 25 years ago.
"We are gradually beginning to make real our aspirations and our dreams for what we're calling our south campus, about eight acres that formerly lay between Lee and the downtown, but now actually join Lee and the down town [together]," said Conn.
A dream long in the making, Lee's Pangle Hall is just another piece in the ever-changing landscape of the Lee University campus and Conn's vision for growth, though not without help.
The hall was made possible by the generous contributions of Allan Jones and his wife Janie [Pangle] Jones. Allan and Janie have been friends of Lee for many years and were able to make a financial contribution in order to renovate the former church.
Darlia Conn, special envoy and wife of president Conn, introduced the labor of love of renovating Pangle Hall through the Jones' financial contribution.
As a tribute to the Jones' love of music, Pangle Hall was renovated to become a performance venue that would showcase the talents and unique performance of excellent musicians, while keeping the spirit of ministry that was cultivated in the space when it housed the First Baptist Church of Cleveland congregation.
Mary Beth Wickes, school of music accompanist and former member of the church said the dedication of the newly renovated building through the concert was exciting.
"It was exciting to see this place because they've [been able to] retain the character in such a beautiful way," Wickes said. "It was hard to think of it being something else, but then tonight to sit here and watch the program and to be a part of it, it's just even better [than it was before]."
The legacy of the historic building was taken into consideration during the entire process of the renovation. While addressing the audience, Conn said no project has brought as much personal pleasure to him as the "remaking and reconfiguring" of the hall itself.
The inside of the venue was designed to be a sophisticated musical venue with the addition of concert seating and flooring that enriched the interior with its rich dark wood. The historic charm of the building was kept through the restoration of the beautifully crafted pillars and vaulted ceiling that has marked First Baptist as a building with charm and character for years.
In the dedication, Conn emphasized the importance of honoring the building's existing beauty throughout the entire renovation and enhancing it with modern amenities to enrich the performance space for the musicians that will grace its stage.
'We believe everything good is a gift from God, [and] we believe our most appropriate response [to his gifts] is to give it back to God,' Conn said. 'We feel that way about this building and we've been able to "repurpose and newly envision [Pangle Hall].'
With the doors finally opened, and the lights about to dim, the newly minted 'gift from God' was filled with a new kind of praise: the performances and musical talents of Lee students, faculty and Alumni as they performed musical numbers ranging from Bon Jovi's 'Blaze of Glory' to the melodious sounds of 'His Eye is on the Sparrow' all to honor the contribution of Pangle Hall to Lee's expanding campus and ever present dream of what lies ahead.
