AUC holds yard sale: Greek campus and Rare Books buildings up for grabs
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Youssef Abdelaal/CARAVAN STAFF MAKEOVER: The historical AUC administration building will be renovated in a joint effort between AUC and the Ministry of Culture. |
Youssef Abdelaal/CARAVAN STAFF LAST MAN STANDING: The new Falaki (L) will be remodeled to be used by the SCE and enginereing services and management. |
While most of the American University in Cairo’s (AUC) departments, faculty, staff and facilities are moving to its new campus in Kattameya, some are staying put downtown.
“The old campus will be maintained as a link between the new campus and downtown Cairo,” said Hesham Ibrahim, director of engineering and projects in the building and grounds department at AUC.
Along with a bookstore and cultural center, the downtown campus will also house the School of Continuing Education (SCE), engineering services, the graduate law program and the management center. As a result, plans are underway to renovate the spaces that will be retained and sell the rest
The SCE, engineering services and management center will be housed in the New Falaki building, with the building’s labs remodeled into regular classrooms for their use. The Old Falaki building had been scheduled for demolition in 2000, after the completion of New Falaki, but was given an extension to 2008 because of the university’s need for extra space. Demolition will begin in July or August 2008.
The law program, now housed in rented offices on Rustom Street in Garden City, will be moved at the beginning of the 2008-2009 school year to the Hill House on the main campus. The main campus will also house a “Downtown Cultural Center,” established to support the AUC’s art exhibitions and theater productions.
Since the main building, which houses the AUC administration, has been declared a historical site, renovations there will be jointly undertaken by AUC and the Ministry of Culture.
The Rare Books and Special Collections Library and Greek campus, however, will be sold. Information on the sale has not yet been disclosed.
“AUC plans to sell the Greek campus once renovations to the remaining downtown buildings are complete and all occupants have been moved into their new locations. That process is expected to be [completed] before summer 2009,” said Donoghue.
“The Greek Campus is full of memories, history and heritage. I feel like a part of me is being sold,” said junior Ahmed Hendi.
AUC originally acquired the administration building on the main campus in 1919 from Cairo University. It had been built in the 1860’s to serve as a palace for the Minister of Education, Khairy Pasha. AUC has since added Ewart Memorial Hall, Oriental Hall, the Hill House and the science building to what is now called the main campus.
In the 1960s, the Greek Campus and the social sciences building —- a former Greek school —- were also added, followed by the library and Jameel Management Center in 1982. Completion of the Center ended the Greek campus construction. In 1992 the AUC acquired and restored a villa on Sheikh Rihan St., which became the Rare Books Library. It serves as a research facility and a library specializing in ancient, medieval and modern Egypt and the region.
When further expansion was required in 2000, the new Falaki building became the home for the engineering, theater and writing departments.
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