The University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Comunication College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Seashore Hall: 1997-2004

(Scroll down to read memories of Seashore Hall.)

After 44 years in the Communications Center,
the University of Iowa School of Journalism
and Mass Communication once again found
itself in a temporary home in Seashore Hall.

State and UI officials originally planned to renovate the Communications Center, but later
it was determined that would be too expensive and a new building was approved.

After eight long years in cramped and outdated facilities, the School moved into a new home
next to the Main Library.

The Philip D. Adler Journalism and
Mass Communication Building opened
in January 2005.

What do you remember about Seashore Hall?

Please send your Building Memories
for addition to those below.

Visit a timeline of journalism and mass communication history at the UI.

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Memories of Seashore Hall:

Thinking I should get some exercise, I always passed up the elevator (it was too damn slow anyway) and took the stairs to the sixth floor. By the time I got to the top, I’d be sweaty and out of breath. Going up the stairs too quickly in Seashore made me feel like I had the bends.
—Joe Nugent (M.A. 2005)

HOT!

Managing to survive the heat in the majority of the classrooms in Seashore Hall.

I remember all the research I did on the building for The Iowa Journalist. Although the new Adler Building will be great, Seashore Hall (as one of the oldest and most beautiful buildings on campus) will always have a special place in my memories.

The slowest elevator of all time.

I remember waiting for the one, very slow elevator.

I'll always remember the elevator and hoping it wouldn't decide to give out when I was riding in it.

Journalism Writing and Reporting with John Erickson—it was summer, it was hot, and we had no idea what we were doing.

Wasps dive-bombing me in my office. Hearing about a faculty member's ceiling caving in. Listening to the
wind whistling through the windows in winter. The marvelous stories from Seashore's former days as the UI Hospital—about the doors being wide enough for gurneys, gutters in the basement because it used to be the morgue, and patients expiring in the slowest elevator on Earth. The wonderful location, with Takanami across the street and The Cottage so close. The big offices. That incredible old-building feel. I'll miss it all.

Bats in the basement computer lab, the slowest elevator I’ve ever been in, doors at the end of hallways that just end, mysterious staircases that lead to nowhere. It’s always so hot on the fourth floor, but if you turn on the AC you can’t hear anything.

Once during my senior year, I thought I would get out of the cold early and slip into Seashore through the Psychology entrance. After four years of being in Seashore I was lost and wandering around trying to find my way back to the J-School’s part of the building. Some of those hallways are creepy! I’ll never forget the good ol’ sixth floor.

I’ll always remember the wasps that flew down on my students in Room 411, making them shriek as they crawled under their desks.  I’ll also remember the way the guest speaker looked.  Also, the oppressive heat. God, I’ll miss that classroom.

I had a gorgeous corner office with wasps every spring. A palace compared to the Communications Center.

Up the stairs, down the stairs — no matter what you needed.

Seashore is a rundown piece of crap!

One of my favorite memories is Professor Bennett’s Journalistic Writing and Reporting class. He used to always point at me and say, “Look who’s got a story in the DI today!  Big reporter!” No teacher made me blush more than him! Then after class he’d pull me aside and say, “Now this is what you need to improve on.”

The design lab on the fourth floor was my home away from home last semester (Fall 2003). I had many frustrating moments, but Dominic (the lab monitor) always lightened the mood with his jokes.