Ida Noyes Hall

Ida Noyes Hall
Interactive map of the Ida Noyes Hall area
General information
TypeCollege, Cinema, Theater
Location1212 East 59th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637
United States
Coordinates41°47′17″N 87°35′44″W / 41.787949°N 87.595598°W / 41.787949; -87.595598
Completed
1916
Design and construction
ArchitectShepley, Rutan and Coolidge[1]
References
[1]

Ida Noyes Hall is a three-story, Neo-Gothic building located on the University of Chicago campus in Chicago, Illinois. Designed by Shepley, Rutan and Coolidge and completed in 1916, the building features fireplaces, a limestone exterior, intricately plastered ceilings, and elaborate wood paneling.

The University of Chicago announced in March 2026 that a $50 million gift from David M. Rubenstein would modernize the building for students and visitors. All new architectural elements and the expanded set of activities and programs will be known as David M. Rubenstein Commons, while the existing building will continue to be named Ida Noyes Hall.[2]

History

Ida Noyes Hall originally served as a women's clubhouse and gymnasium, and was built as a complement to the Reynolds Club and Hutchinson Commons, which provided social and recreational spaces for the men on campus. The construction of the building was made possible by a gift from La Verne Noyes in the memory of his late wife, Ida.[3][4] Ida Noyes, née Smith, was born in Croton, N.Y., in 1853, though her family relocated to Iowa in 1857. She graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in teaching in 1874 and married La Verne Noyes in 1877.[5] Upon its opening, Ida Noyes Hall hosted public lectures, club meetings, and social events.[4]

In January 2005 a portrait of Ida Noyes, painted by Oliver Dennett Grover and donated to the building by La Verne Noyes, was stolen from the building.[6]

Renovations

The Masque of Youth, restored in 1995

In 1987, the gymnasium was converted into Max Palevsky Cinema. Since that time, Doc Films has screened movies every night of the academic year.[7] In 1995, the murals on the third floor, originally created in 1918 to commemorate the quarter centennial of the University of Chicago and the opening of Ida Noyes Hall, were restored.[8][9] In 2007, the building underwent repairs to address a crumbling facade and leaking roof, and in 2008, the University's Booth School of Business renovated the natatorium to create additional study space for student study groups.[10][11][12]

Currently, Ida Noyes Hall hosts student events, academic department events, corporate recruiting sessions, and private parties.[13] It is home to the University of Chicago Pub and the Office of Career Advancement.[14][15]

In March 2026 the University announced a $50M gift from David Rubenstein, "in recognition of his support, this revitalized hub for student life, campus activity, and welcoming destination for visitors will be named the David M. Rubenstein Commons. Plans for the building will ensure Rubenstein Commons honors the historic character and name of Ida Noyes Hall." The existing building will continue to be named Ida Noyes Hall. [16]

Notable events

  • Opening celebration and quarter centennial of the University of Chicago (1916)
  • Wedding reception of John D. Rockefeller IV and Sharon Percy Rockefeller (1967)
  • Used as a filming location for The Express: The Ernie Davis Story (2007)[17]
  • The Chicago Hearing (2010)
  • Traditionally, the final day of the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt takes place in Ida Noyes Hall (annually)
  • A $50 million gift from David M. Rubenstein, announced in March 2026, will modernize the building. [18]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Ida Noyes Hall: Photographic Archive: The University of Chicago".
  2. ↑ "David Rubenstein Gives $50 Million to Modernize Ida Noyes Hall". Chicago Maroon. March 26, 2026. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Ida Noyes Hall". openhousechicago.org. Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  4. 1 2 "Ida Noyes Hall - A Center for Women on Campus". lib.uchicago.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Guide to the Ida Noyes Papers". Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Portrait of Ida Noyes vanishes without a trace". chicagomaroon.com. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  7. ↑ "Ida Noyes Hall". uchicago.edu. Retrieved August 16, 2019.
  8. ↑ "The Masque of Youth". magazine.uchicago.edu. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Conservators restore youth to Ida Noyes Hall mural". magazine.uchicago.edu. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  10. ↑ "FacadeRenovation". Chicago Maroon. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Renovation". primerachicago.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Renovation". Chicago Maroon. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Ida Noyes Hall". uchicago.edu. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
  14. ↑ "The University of Chicago Pub".
  15. ↑ "Career Advancement". The University of Chicago.
  16. ↑ "$50 million gift to revitalize historic Ida Noyes Hall as a space for students, visitors". University of Chicago. March 23, 2026. Retrieved April 8, 2026.
  17. ↑ Frenchman, Ethan (June 22, 2007). "Movie magic at the U of C". University of Chicago Magazine Blog. Archived from the original on August 30, 2008. Retrieved December 9, 2012.
  18. ↑ "M50 million gift to revitalize historic Ida Noyes Hall as a space for students, visitors". University of Chicago News. March 26, 2026. Retrieved April 6, 2026.
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