The Council of Independent Colleges: Historic Campus Architecture Project

Keane Hall

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Keane Hall (front facade), Loras College

Keane Hall (rear view), Loras College

Keane Hall (rear view, detail), Loras College

Institution Name: Loras College
Original/Historic Place Name: Loras Hall
Location on Campus: 1450 Alta Vista St.
Date(s) of Construction:

1913-1914

original construction Masqueray, E. L.

Designer: E. L. Masqueray
Type of Place: Individual building
Style: Romanesque revival, Beaux-Arts classicism (Glossary)
Significance: culture, education, history
Narrative: see below
References: see below

Materials:

Foundation: limestone

Walls: red brick with Bedford stone trimming

Roof: slate

Function:

ca. 1914	student union (bookstore and recreational facilities)
ca. 1914	gymnasium
ca. 1914	library
ca. 1914	chapel
ca. 1914-present (2006)	residence hall (currently housing men)
ca. 2004-present (2006)	administration (registrar, print center, financial planning, president, business, development, and admissions offices)

Narrative:
Keane Hall, originally named Loras Hall, is currently heavily used and in good condition. Designed by E.L. Masqueray and built in 1913-1914, Keane Hall is one of the only buildings on campus built prior to World War I that is still used for its original purpose--housing. When built, Keane Hall included private living quarters for professors and students, offices, meeting rooms, a gymnasium, billiards, study halls, a library, classrooms, and modern plumbing. Keane Hall was built on one of Dubuque's finest hilltops overlooking the city and the Mississippi River. Although many renovations have taken place over the years, Keane Hall remains a housing building for many male students and currently houses the main administrative offices of the campus.

Keane Hall is composed of various types of architectural design. It is a late Victorian interpretation of the Craftsman style, with a touch of Romanesque influence. The U-shape of the tall stone foundation is typical of the institutional/factory-like features common to many buildings of this era. The chimney caps and the broad, heavy, repeating arches are typical of the Romanesque style, and the brackets, broad eaves, and flat top dormer windows are indicative of the Craftsman style.

References: