Tech Tower
Encyclopedia
The Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building, commonly known as Tech Tower, is a historic building located at 225 North Avenue
NW
in Midtown Atlanta
, Georgia
, USA
, and a focal point of the central campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology
(Georgia Tech). Erected in 1888 and named the Academic Building, Tech Tower was one of the first two buildings to be completed on the Georgia Tech campus. Tech Tower was built as a venue for classroom instruction to complement the hands-on training taking place in the shop building beside it. Since the razing of the shop in 1892 following a disastrous fire, Tech Tower enjoys the distinction of being the oldest structure on the Georgia Tech campus.
Tech Tower derives its nickname from a prominent seven-story central tower dominating the building's facade
and visible from many parts of the Georgia Tech campus and surrounding area. Lighted signs in the shape of the word TECH hang atop each of the tower's four sides. A number of times, Georgia Tech students have accomplished the arduous task of stealing the letter 'T' from one of these signs, a prank now strictly forbidden by Institute officials despite prior attitudes to the contrary.
Tech Tower has achieved local, cultural, and historical significance in the century since its construction. Monuments and plaques commemorating philanthropy towards Georgia Tech adorn Tech Tower and the surrounding landscape. The red brick, Victorian-style
building serves as the architectural anchor of the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District
, a landmark of tradition and school spirit, and the present-day administrative hub of the Institute. It has been the site of many ceremonies and important events, including a visit by U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt
and its dedication in honor of Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans
, "Tech's greatest benefactor."
In 1887, the state of Georgia
acquired 9 acres (3.6 ha) of land from Atlanta pioneer Richard Peters
that would form the original campus of what was then called the Georgia School of Technology, as well as the site of its first two structures. The state hired the well-known architectural firm Bruce & Morgan to design an Academic Building, containing "ample accommodations in halls, offices, apparatus rooms, recitation and lecture rooms, free hand
and mechanical drawing
rooms, library and chapel," as well as a Shop Building, in which "boiler
and engine rooms, wood shop
, machine shop
, forge room
and foundry
" were located.
Both buildings boasted towers and edifices of similar design. The complementary names and purposes of these buildings reflected the School's founding principles of valuing both theory
and practice
, while their similar appearance emphasized the equal standing of these principles. Construction work, contracted by Angus McGilvray with his low bid of US$
43,250 ($ in ), began with the Academic Building in June 1887; the building was completed in September 1888. The Shop Building, completed shortly afterward, was destroyed by fire in 1892 and rebuilt more modestly without a tower. Following this, the Academic Building, later known as Tech Tower, became the oldest building on the Georgia Tech campus, a distinction it continues to hold more than a century later.
On October 20, 1905, U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt
visited the Georgia Tech campus. On the steps of Tech Tower, Roosevelt presented a speech about the importance of engineering education. He then shook hands with each of the 500 students present.
Georgia Tech's Class of 1922 installed the famous TECH signs on all four sides of Tech Tower in 1918, giving rise to the building's present nickname. Their purpose, as defined by the donors during their freshman year at Georgia Tech, was to "light the spirit of Tech to the four points of the compass
." The signs were originally made of wood and painted white and gold — the Institute colors. In the 1930s, lightbulbs were affixed to the signs to illuminate them more effectively than the earlier ground-based spotlights. In 1949, the TECH signs were supplemented by neon lighting
in metal frames.
In 1978, Tech Tower and the surrounding 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) of the original campus were added to the National Register of Historic Places
as the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District
. Near the entrance to Tech Tower, a historical marker
maintained by the Georgia Historical Society
commemorates this listing as well as the early history of the Georgia Tech campus.
On May 22, 1998, Tech Tower was officially renamed the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building in a ceremony presided over by Tech president G. Wayne Clough
. Although neither she nor her husbands attended Georgia Tech as a student, Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans
was a longtime benefactor of the Institute, contributing over $340 million through her philanthropic
organization, the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation.
Tech Tower's continuous use since its completion in 1888 has required occasional maintenance and refurbishment. It underwent extensive renovation
s in 1965 with a focus on remodeling the building's interior layout. During this time, the library and chapel were replaced with modern office space and furnishings. In contrast, efforts directed towards the exterior of the building have aimed to preserve its historic appearance. A restoration project called the "Tech Tower Renovation" began in 1987, spearheaded by alumnus Eugene M. "Gene" Clary's gift of new copper shingles with which to replace Tech Tower's aging roof tiles. Clary first suggested gold-colored shingles, but John Patrick Crecine
, Georgia Tech's president at the time, insisted on copper shingles to match the building's original construction materials. One of these shingles and a small marker inside the Tech Tower entrance lobby commemorate Clary and his donation. Additional restoration of Tech Tower's exterior and the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District, funded by the Class of 1950 and Class of 1975, began in 2000. As part of Phase I of the Georgia Tech Master Plan of 1997, the area was made "more pedestrian-friendly" with the removal of access roads and the addition of landscaping improvements, benches, and other facilities.
style with Romanesque Revival
influences. The building's original specifications, according to Georgia Tech's first Annual Catalogue Announcement published in 1889, are listed as 130 feet (39.6 m) wide and 120 feet (36.6 m) deep. It is constructed primarily of red brick and trimmed with granite
. The gable
d roof, originally terra cotta
, was later replaced by copper shingles. The main complex of the building stands four stories high plus a basement. The tower portion stands seven stories high and is topped with four lighted TECH signs (one on each side) and a high pitched roof. The main entrance to the building is accessed by ascending a small staircase and entering a small porch which forms the base of Tech Tower. Most of the building's windows are simple rectangular frames, with the exception of those on the third floor, which are arched. The entire complex sits on the crest of a tree-dotted hill, giving it the appearance of being larger than it actually is.
s and sites of interest over the years. Two walkways encircle the building, including the Tower Walk, donated by the Class of 1950 in 2000. Georgia Tech's first class memorial, a marble drinking fountain, was donated in 1911 by the Class of 1903 and is situated east of Tech Tower's main entrance. Also near the main entrance to Tech Tower is a marble
d pair of benches donated by the Class of 1925 in memory of those who died in World War I
. A few feet away stands a marbled bench memorial to Paul Howes Norcross, a 1902 Georgia Tech alumnus and former ASCE
president who perished in the Norman
boat disaster of May 8, 1925. The headstone of Sideways the dog is located near Tech Tower's rear entrance, as is an informational placard detailing Tech Tower's early history, donated by the Class of 1932. A staircase donated by the ANAK Society
in 1921 connects Tech Tower to the adjacent D. P. Savant Building via a continuous sidewalk. Finally, a steam-driven air compressor
, colloquially known as the "steam engine," sits prominently at the top of the hill near Tech Tower as a reminder of the school's industrial roots.
purposes. It houses the Office of the Registrar
, the Office of Capital Planning and Space Management (CPSM), the Internal Auditing Department, and offices for the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL). In addition, the deans
of the College of Engineering
and the College of Sciences
have offices in Tech Tower.
Tech Tower is considered an iconic representation of Georgia Tech and of higher education in Atlanta
. It is often featured in marketing materials and merchandise for the Institute and its silhouette is recognized throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Tower, Georgia Tech's undergraduate research journal, is named after Tech Tower. Kessler Campanile
, a stylized bell tower built on the Georgia Tech campus as part of an Institute-wide brand
ing campaign in the mid-1990s, was designed to look like a modernized version of Tech Tower. The campanile is now featured in all Georgia Tech logos, though some have argued that Tech Tower itself would be a more appropriate symbol.
football
game, and the students' achievement celebrated. Tradition dictates that the first 'T' to be stolen should be the one facing east, as this can most easily be seen from the Downtown Connector
. The groups of students responsible for 'T' thefts generally assume dramatic pseudonyms, such as the "Mystic Marauders" or the "Sneaky Four." Pervasive rumors of a detailed plan held in the Institute's archives to execute "the perfect T theft," crafted by an unnamed Georgia Tech fraternity
, are apparently spurious.
The 'T' was first stolen in April 1969 by a secret group of Georgia Tech fraternity brothers calling themselves the "Magnificent Seven". Inspired by a similar prank that had taken place in 1968 at Harvard University
, the students planned the theft as a means of commemorating Institute President Edwin D. Harrison
's retirement. The 'T' was returned several days later via helicopter at the behest of Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen
.
On the evening of November 6, 1997, the 'T's were nearly stolen from the north, south and west sides of Tech Tower by five students wielding hacksaws, tin snips, and rappelling equipment. The students were caught by Georgia Tech police acting on a tip provided by an anonymous informant. The stolen north 'T' was recovered in the back of a blue Ford Explorer that was parked at the Copper Kettle on Howell Mill Road, also in response to an anonymous tip. Each student was required to pay $2,446.75 in damages ($ in ) although criminal charges were not filed. The Georgia Tech Office of Facilities reinstalled the 'T' on January 31, 1998, 87 days after its attempted theft.
One of the most theatrical thefts of the 'T' occurred over the summer of 1999. The 'T' on the north face of Tech Tower was stolen by a group of "six or seven people" on the morning of June 3, 1999. The perpetrators wrote a letter detailing the theft to the editorial staff of The Technique
, Georgia Tech's student newspaper. The letter, an abridged version of which was subsequently printed in the summer issue of The Technique, described the process of stealing the 'T' by lowering it via a rope and moving it to a secret location. The letter also included a photograph of the 'T' "on vacation" in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
. Finally, the perpetrators indicated plans to return the 'T' during the Georgia Tech Homecoming Parade, according to tradition, as long as no criminal charges would be brought against them. The letter was signed by fictitious Georgia Tech alumnus George P. Burdell
. However, the Institute released a notice that those who stole the 'T' would be harshly punished, and therefore the 'T' remains to this day at an undisclosed location.
The replacement 'T' on the north face of Tech Tower was stolen on May 28, 2001 by three students, two of whom were found guilty of numerous conduct code violations by the Undergraduate Judiciary Cabinet and subsequently suspended. The students had successfully removed the 'T' from its mount but were caught by authorities when the removal triggered an alarm. In October 2005, a replica of the 'T' was stolen from the Student Services Building and returned two days later.
The tradition of stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower has inspired copycat crimes
involving other signage. During a Georgia Tech–NC State
football
game on November 4, 2006, the second 'T' from a large banner mysteriously vanished from the upper deck of Carter-Finley Stadium
where it had been hanging. It was widely assumed across the Tech campus that the prank was pulled off by a group of Georgia Tech students in an homage
to the longstanding Tech Tower tradition; however, it is possible that the T in the banner came loose and fell to the stands below.
Similar copycat crimes have occurred on the Georgia Tech campus. In late 2001, a group of Georgia Tech students calling itself the "Caldwell Liberation Army" stole 32 'T's from signs on 16 campus buildings over a period of two nights. The students, who were not caught, vandalized the signs to express their bitterness at being displaced from Caldwell Residence Hall
while renovations were taking place. In February 2006, it was noticed that small vinyl 'T' stickers were being stolen from informational signs located around the Georgia Tech campus, creating confusion for visitors and new students. According to the Georgia Tech Student Government Association (SGA), 'T' thefts across campus cost the Institute over $100,000 from 2010-11. The SGA discouraged these thefts, which they emphasized did not constitute a true Georgia Tech tradition: "The tradition is stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower - no other 'T's were ever a part of this tradition."
to the practice, with one president, John Patrick Crecine
, going so far as to endorse it.
Today, stealing the 'T' is prohibited and is officially punishable with expulsion, although this has not happened in practice. After a Georgia Tech visitor was accidentally killed while climbing the Alexander Memorial Coliseum
in 1999, Institute President G. Wayne Clough
banned stealing of the 'T' and the climbing of any Institute building, due to the risk of fatal falls and the potential for damage to the building. Clough also expressed concern over the "incredibly expensive liability litigation" Georgia Tech could face in the event of an accident. To discourage climbing, security features such as pressure-sensitive roof tiling, fiber optic cabling
running throughout the letters, and an audible alarm have been added to the 'T' to help prevent its theft.
In 2011, the Georgia Tech Student Government Association (SGA) launched a "Keep the 'T' in Tech" campaign to discourage thefts of 'T's from signage around the campus. The week-long campaign took place from September 26-30 and included an online petition to be published in The Technique, an open forum for discussing the issue, an amnesty day for returning stolen 'T's, and "Live the True Tradition," an evening event focused on the tradition of stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower.
North Avenue (Atlanta)
North Avenue in Atlanta is a major avenue in Atlanta that divides Downtown Atlanta from Midtown Atlanta. North Avenue stretches continuously in Atlanta from Candler Park in the east, across Interstate 75 & Interstate 85, along the southern boundary of the Georgia Institute of Technology, to Joseph E...
NW
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
in Midtown Atlanta
Midtown Atlanta
Midtown is the second largest financial district in the city of Atlanta, Georgia, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown and SoNo to the south and the affluent residential and commercial district of Buckhead to the north...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and a focal point of the central campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
(Georgia Tech). Erected in 1888 and named the Academic Building, Tech Tower was one of the first two buildings to be completed on the Georgia Tech campus. Tech Tower was built as a venue for classroom instruction to complement the hands-on training taking place in the shop building beside it. Since the razing of the shop in 1892 following a disastrous fire, Tech Tower enjoys the distinction of being the oldest structure on the Georgia Tech campus.
Tech Tower derives its nickname from a prominent seven-story central tower dominating the building's facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
and visible from many parts of the Georgia Tech campus and surrounding area. Lighted signs in the shape of the word TECH hang atop each of the tower's four sides. A number of times, Georgia Tech students have accomplished the arduous task of stealing the letter 'T' from one of these signs, a prank now strictly forbidden by Institute officials despite prior attitudes to the contrary.
Tech Tower has achieved local, cultural, and historical significance in the century since its construction. Monuments and plaques commemorating philanthropy towards Georgia Tech adorn Tech Tower and the surrounding landscape. The red brick, Victorian-style
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
building serves as the architectural anchor of the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District
Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District
The Historic District of the Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as the Old Campus of Georgia Tech or the Hill District, is significant in the areas of architecture, education, engineering and science, as well as landscape architecture. The area is a Registered Historic Place and part of...
, a landmark of tradition and school spirit, and the present-day administrative hub of the Institute. It has been the site of many ceremonies and important events, including a visit by U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
and its dedication in honor of Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans
Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans
Letitia "Lettie" Pate Whitehead Evans was an American businesswoman and philanthropist...
, "Tech's greatest benefactor."
History
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
acquired 9 acres (3.6 ha) of land from Atlanta pioneer Richard Peters
Richard Peters (Atlanta)
Richard Peters was an American railroad man and a founder of Atlanta.Grandson of Judge Richard Peters, Jr...
that would form the original campus of what was then called the Georgia School of Technology, as well as the site of its first two structures. The state hired the well-known architectural firm Bruce & Morgan to design an Academic Building, containing "ample accommodations in halls, offices, apparatus rooms, recitation and lecture rooms, free hand
Drawing
Drawing is a form of visual art that makes use of any number of drawing instruments to mark a two-dimensional medium. Common instruments include graphite pencils, pen and ink, inked brushes, wax color pencils, crayons, charcoal, chalk, pastels, markers, styluses, and various metals .An artist who...
and mechanical drawing
Technical drawing
Technical drawing, also known as drafting or draughting, is the act and discipline of composing plans that visually communicate how something functions or has to be constructed.Drafting is the language of industry....
rooms, library and chapel," as well as a Shop Building, in which "boiler
Boiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
and engine rooms, wood shop
Carpentry
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, machine shop
Machining
Conventional machining is a form of subtractive manufacturing, in which a collection of material-working processes utilizing power-driven machine tools, such as saws, lathes, milling machines, and drill presses, are used with a sharp cutting tool to physical remove material to achieve a desired...
, forge room
Forge
A forge is a hearth used for forging. The term "forge" can also refer to the workplace of a smith or a blacksmith, although the term smithy is then more commonly used.The basic smithy contains a forge, also known as a hearth, for heating metals...
and foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
" were located.
Both buildings boasted towers and edifices of similar design. The complementary names and purposes of these buildings reflected the School's founding principles of valuing both theory
Theory
The English word theory was derived from a technical term in Ancient Greek philosophy. The word theoria, , meant "a looking at, viewing, beholding", and referring to contemplation or speculation, as opposed to action...
and practice
Practice (learning method)
Practice is the act of rehearsing a behavior over and over, or engaging in an activity again and again, for the purpose of improving or mastering it, as in the phrase "practice makes perfect". Sports teams practice to prepare for actual games. Playing a musical instrument well takes a lot of...
, while their similar appearance emphasized the equal standing of these principles. Construction work, contracted by Angus McGilvray with his low bid of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
43,250 ($ in ), began with the Academic Building in June 1887; the building was completed in September 1888. The Shop Building, completed shortly afterward, was destroyed by fire in 1892 and rebuilt more modestly without a tower. Following this, the Academic Building, later known as Tech Tower, became the oldest building on the Georgia Tech campus, a distinction it continues to hold more than a century later.
On October 20, 1905, U.S. President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
visited the Georgia Tech campus. On the steps of Tech Tower, Roosevelt presented a speech about the importance of engineering education. He then shook hands with each of the 500 students present.
Georgia Tech's Class of 1922 installed the famous TECH signs on all four sides of Tech Tower in 1918, giving rise to the building's present nickname. Their purpose, as defined by the donors during their freshman year at Georgia Tech, was to "light the spirit of Tech to the four points of the compass
Cardinal direction
The four cardinal directions or cardinal points are the directions of north, east, south, and west, commonly denoted by their initials: N, E, S, W. East and west are at right angles to north and south, with east being in the direction of rotation and west being directly opposite. Intermediate...
." The signs were originally made of wood and painted white and gold — the Institute colors. In the 1930s, lightbulbs were affixed to the signs to illuminate them more effectively than the earlier ground-based spotlights. In 1949, the TECH signs were supplemented by neon lighting
Neon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
in metal frames.
In 1978, Tech Tower and the surrounding 9 acres (36,421.7 m²) of the original campus were added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District
Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District
The Historic District of the Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as the Old Campus of Georgia Tech or the Hill District, is significant in the areas of architecture, education, engineering and science, as well as landscape architecture. The area is a Registered Historic Place and part of...
. Near the entrance to Tech Tower, a historical marker
Historical marker
A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...
maintained by the Georgia Historical Society
Georgia Historical Society
Georgia Historical Society is the premier independent statewide institution responsible for collecting, examining, and teaching Georgia history...
commemorates this listing as well as the early history of the Georgia Tech campus.
On May 22, 1998, Tech Tower was officially renamed the Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans Administration Building in a ceremony presided over by Tech president G. Wayne Clough
G. Wayne Clough
Gerald Wayne Clough is President Emeritus of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, a position he has held since July 2008...
. Although neither she nor her husbands attended Georgia Tech as a student, Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans
Lettie Pate Whitehead Evans
Letitia "Lettie" Pate Whitehead Evans was an American businesswoman and philanthropist...
was a longtime benefactor of the Institute, contributing over $340 million through her philanthropic
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
organization, the Lettie Pate Evans Foundation.
Tech Tower's continuous use since its completion in 1888 has required occasional maintenance and refurbishment. It underwent extensive renovation
Renovation
Renovation is the process of improving a structure. Two prominent types of renovations are commercial and residential.-Process:The process of a renovation, however complex, can usually be broken down into several processes...
s in 1965 with a focus on remodeling the building's interior layout. During this time, the library and chapel were replaced with modern office space and furnishings. In contrast, efforts directed towards the exterior of the building have aimed to preserve its historic appearance. A restoration project called the "Tech Tower Renovation" began in 1987, spearheaded by alumnus Eugene M. "Gene" Clary's gift of new copper shingles with which to replace Tech Tower's aging roof tiles. Clary first suggested gold-colored shingles, but John Patrick Crecine
John Patrick Crecine
John Patrick "Pat" Crecine was an American educator. After receiving his early education in Lansing, Michigan, Michigan public schools, he earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management, and master's and doctoral degrees in industrial administration from the Graduate School of Industrial...
, Georgia Tech's president at the time, insisted on copper shingles to match the building's original construction materials. One of these shingles and a small marker inside the Tech Tower entrance lobby commemorate Clary and his donation. Additional restoration of Tech Tower's exterior and the Georgia Institute of Technology Historic District, funded by the Class of 1950 and Class of 1975, began in 2000. As part of Phase I of the Georgia Tech Master Plan of 1997, the area was made "more pedestrian-friendly" with the removal of access roads and the addition of landscaping improvements, benches, and other facilities.
Structure and appearance
Tech Tower is built in the VictorianVictorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
style with Romanesque Revival
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
influences. The building's original specifications, according to Georgia Tech's first Annual Catalogue Announcement published in 1889, are listed as 130 feet (39.6 m) wide and 120 feet (36.6 m) deep. It is constructed primarily of red brick and trimmed with granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
. The gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d roof, originally terra cotta
Terra cotta
Terracotta, Terra cotta or Terra-cotta is a clay-based unglazed ceramic, although the term can also be applied to glazed ceramics where the fired body is porous and red in color...
, was later replaced by copper shingles. The main complex of the building stands four stories high plus a basement. The tower portion stands seven stories high and is topped with four lighted TECH signs (one on each side) and a high pitched roof. The main entrance to the building is accessed by ascending a small staircase and entering a small porch which forms the base of Tech Tower. Most of the building's windows are simple rectangular frames, with the exception of those on the third floor, which are arched. The entire complex sits on the crest of a tree-dotted hill, giving it the appearance of being larger than it actually is.
Surroundings
As the oldest building on the Georgia Tech campus, Tech Tower has accumulated a number of peripheral monumentMonument
A monument is a type of structure either explicitly created to commemorate a person or important event or which has become important to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, or simply as an example of historic architecture...
s and sites of interest over the years. Two walkways encircle the building, including the Tower Walk, donated by the Class of 1950 in 2000. Georgia Tech's first class memorial, a marble drinking fountain, was donated in 1911 by the Class of 1903 and is situated east of Tech Tower's main entrance. Also near the main entrance to Tech Tower is a marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
d pair of benches donated by the Class of 1925 in memory of those who died in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. A few feet away stands a marbled bench memorial to Paul Howes Norcross, a 1902 Georgia Tech alumnus and former ASCE
American Society of Civil Engineers
The American Society of Civil Engineers is a professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. It is the oldest national engineering society in the United States. ASCE's vision is to have engineers positioned as global leaders who strive toward...
president who perished in the Norman
M.E. Norman
M.E. Norman was a -long sternwheel steamboat operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.On May 8, 1925, the M.E. Norman sank after an explosion. Tom Lee, an African-American riverworker, saved the lives of 32 passengers.-Sinking of the boat:...
boat disaster of May 8, 1925. The headstone of Sideways the dog is located near Tech Tower's rear entrance, as is an informational placard detailing Tech Tower's early history, donated by the Class of 1932. A staircase donated by the ANAK Society
ANAK Society
The ANAK Society is the oldest known secret society and honor society at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Founded in 1908, ANAK's purpose is "to honor outstanding juniors and seniors who have shown both exemplary leadership and a true love for Georgia Tech"...
in 1921 connects Tech Tower to the adjacent D. P. Savant Building via a continuous sidewalk. Finally, a steam-driven air compressor
Air compressor
An air compressor is a device that converts power into kinetic energy by compressing and pressurizing air, which, on command, can be released in quick bursts...
, colloquially known as the "steam engine," sits prominently at the top of the hill near Tech Tower as a reminder of the school's industrial roots.
Modern use
As its official name suggests, Tech Tower is primarily used for administrativeAcademic administration
An academic administration is a branch of university or college employees responsible for the maintenance and supervision of the institution and separate from the faculty or academics, although some personnel may have joint responsibilities...
purposes. It houses the Office of the Registrar
Registrar (academic)
In education outside the United Kingdom, a registrar or registrary is an official in an academic institution who handles student records. Typically, a registrar processes registration requests, schedules classes and maintains class lists, enforces the rules for entering or leaving classes, and...
, the Office of Capital Planning and Space Management (CPSM), the Internal Auditing Department, and offices for the Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL). In addition, the deans
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...
of the College of Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology College of Engineering
The College of Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technologyprovides formal education and research in more than 10 fields of engineering, including:...
and the College of Sciences
Georgia Institute of Technology College of Sciences
The College of Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the six colleges in the institute.-History:Until 1990, there was no independent college for the sciences. Before then, there had been three colleges: the College of Engineering, the College of Engineering, and COSALS, the...
have offices in Tech Tower.
Tech Tower is considered an iconic representation of Georgia Tech and of higher education in Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. It is often featured in marketing materials and merchandise for the Institute and its silhouette is recognized throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Tower, Georgia Tech's undergraduate research journal, is named after Tech Tower. Kessler Campanile
Kessler Campanile
The Kessler Campanile is an campanile located at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Designed by artist Richard Hill, it was originally constructed for the 1996 Olympic Games. It is named after Richard C. Kessler, Tech graduate and former head of Days Inns...
, a stylized bell tower built on the Georgia Tech campus as part of an Institute-wide brand
Brand
The American Marketing Association defines a brand as a "Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers."...
ing campaign in the mid-1990s, was designed to look like a modernized version of Tech Tower. The campanile is now featured in all Georgia Tech logos, though some have argued that Tech Tower itself would be a more appropriate symbol.
Stealing the 'T'
Students have stolen the huge, symbolic letter 'T' on the Tech Tower's TECH signs a number of times. The 'T' is then returned at the halftime of the homecomingHomecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game, and the students' achievement celebrated. Tradition dictates that the first 'T' to be stolen should be the one facing east, as this can most easily be seen from the Downtown Connector
Downtown Connector
In Atlanta, Georgia, the Downtown Connector or 75/85 is the concurrent section of Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 through the core of the city. Beginning at the I-85/Langford Parkway interchange, the Downtown Connector runs generally due north, meeting the east-west Interstate 20 in the middle....
. The groups of students responsible for 'T' thefts generally assume dramatic pseudonyms, such as the "Mystic Marauders" or the "Sneaky Four." Pervasive rumors of a detailed plan held in the Institute's archives to execute "the perfect T theft," crafted by an unnamed Georgia Tech fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
, are apparently spurious.
Notable thefts
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, the students planned the theft as a means of commemorating Institute President Edwin D. Harrison
Edwin D. Harrison
Edwin Davies Harrison was the sixth president of the Georgia Institute of Technology , from 1957 to 1969. It was in Harrison's honor that the first 'T' was stolen from the face of Tech Tower....
's retirement. The 'T' was returned several days later via helicopter at the behest of Atlanta mayor Ivan Allen
Ivan Allen Jr.
Ivan Allen, Jr., was a U.S. businessman and Democratic political figure most notable for serving two terms as the 52nd Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia during the turbulent civil rights era of the 1960s.-Biography:...
.
On the evening of November 6, 1997, the 'T's were nearly stolen from the north, south and west sides of Tech Tower by five students wielding hacksaws, tin snips, and rappelling equipment. The students were caught by Georgia Tech police acting on a tip provided by an anonymous informant. The stolen north 'T' was recovered in the back of a blue Ford Explorer that was parked at the Copper Kettle on Howell Mill Road, also in response to an anonymous tip. Each student was required to pay $2,446.75 in damages ($ in ) although criminal charges were not filed. The Georgia Tech Office of Facilities reinstalled the 'T' on January 31, 1998, 87 days after its attempted theft.
One of the most theatrical thefts of the 'T' occurred over the summer of 1999. The 'T' on the north face of Tech Tower was stolen by a group of "six or seven people" on the morning of June 3, 1999. The perpetrators wrote a letter detailing the theft to the editorial staff of The Technique
The Technique
The Technique, also known as the "Nique," is the official student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia and has referred to itself as "the South's liveliest college newspaper" since 1945...
, Georgia Tech's student newspaper. The letter, an abridged version of which was subsequently printed in the summer issue of The Technique, described the process of stealing the 'T' by lowering it via a rope and moving it to a secret location. The letter also included a photograph of the 'T' "on vacation" in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia
Bath (Berkeley Springs), West Virginia
Bath is a town in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, United States. It is the county seat of Morgan County. The town is incorporated as Bath, but it is often referred to by the name of its post office, Berkeley Springs. The population of the town was 663 according to the 2000 United States...
. Finally, the perpetrators indicated plans to return the 'T' during the Georgia Tech Homecoming Parade, according to tradition, as long as no criminal charges would be brought against them. The letter was signed by fictitious Georgia Tech alumnus George P. Burdell
George P. Burdell
George P. Burdell is a fictitious student officially enrolled at Georgia Tech in 1927 as a practical joke. Since then, he has supposedly received several degrees, served in the military, gotten married, and served on Mad magazine's Board of Directors, among other accomplishments. Burdell at one...
. However, the Institute released a notice that those who stole the 'T' would be harshly punished, and therefore the 'T' remains to this day at an undisclosed location.
The tradition of stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower has inspired copycat crimes
Copycat crimes
A copycat crime is a criminal act that is modelled or inspired by a previous crime that has been reported in the media or described in fiction.-Copycat effect:...
involving other signage. During a Georgia Tech–NC State
North Carolina State University
North Carolina State University at Raleigh is a public, coeducational, extensive research university located in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Commonly known as NC State, the university is part of the University of North Carolina system and is a land, sea, and space grant institution...
football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game on November 4, 2006, the second 'T' from a large banner mysteriously vanished from the upper deck of Carter-Finley Stadium
Carter-Finley Stadium
Carter-Finley Stadium is home to the North Carolina State University Wolfpack football team. It was opened in 1966 and now has a seating capacity of 57,583 seats....
where it had been hanging. It was widely assumed across the Tech campus that the prank was pulled off by a group of Georgia Tech students in an homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to the longstanding Tech Tower tradition; however, it is possible that the T in the banner came loose and fell to the stands below.
Similar copycat crimes have occurred on the Georgia Tech campus. In late 2001, a group of Georgia Tech students calling itself the "Caldwell Liberation Army" stole 32 'T's from signs on 16 campus buildings over a period of two nights. The students, who were not caught, vandalized the signs to express their bitterness at being displaced from Caldwell Residence Hall
Caldwell Hall (Georgia Tech)
Caldwell Residence Hall is a coed residence hall in the Georgia Tech Freshman Experience.Caldwell is a coed by floor and is the sibling dorm of Folk.-Dedication:...
while renovations were taking place. In February 2006, it was noticed that small vinyl 'T' stickers were being stolen from informational signs located around the Georgia Tech campus, creating confusion for visitors and new students. According to the Georgia Tech Student Government Association (SGA), 'T' thefts across campus cost the Institute over $100,000 from 2010-11. The SGA discouraged these thefts, which they emphasized did not constitute a true Georgia Tech tradition: "The tradition is stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower - no other 'T's were ever a part of this tradition."
Institute reaction
The Georgia Tech administration's position on stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower has varied over the years. When the 'T' was first stolen in 1969, interim Institute President Vernon Crawford was so upset he considered canceling classes until it was returned. Afterwards, subsequent presidents opted to turn a blind eyeTurn a blind eye
The idiom turning a blind eye is used to describe the process of ignoring unpopular orders or inconvenient facts or activities.The phrase to turn a blind eye is attributed to an incident in the life of Admiral Horatio Nelson....
to the practice, with one president, John Patrick Crecine
John Patrick Crecine
John Patrick "Pat" Crecine was an American educator. After receiving his early education in Lansing, Michigan, Michigan public schools, he earned a bachelor's degree in industrial management, and master's and doctoral degrees in industrial administration from the Graduate School of Industrial...
, going so far as to endorse it.
Today, stealing the 'T' is prohibited and is officially punishable with expulsion, although this has not happened in practice. After a Georgia Tech visitor was accidentally killed while climbing the Alexander Memorial Coliseum
Alexander Memorial Coliseum
The Alexander Memorial Coliseum is an indoor arena located in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is the home of the basketball teams of Georgia Tech and hosted the Atlanta Hawks of the NBA from 1968–1972 and again from 1997–1999...
in 1999, Institute President G. Wayne Clough
G. Wayne Clough
Gerald Wayne Clough is President Emeritus of the Georgia Institute of Technology and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, a position he has held since July 2008...
banned stealing of the 'T' and the climbing of any Institute building, due to the risk of fatal falls and the potential for damage to the building. Clough also expressed concern over the "incredibly expensive liability litigation" Georgia Tech could face in the event of an accident. To discourage climbing, security features such as pressure-sensitive roof tiling, fiber optic cabling
Optical fiber
An optical fiber is a flexible, transparent fiber made of a pure glass not much wider than a human hair. It functions as a waveguide, or "light pipe", to transmit light between the two ends of the fiber. The field of applied science and engineering concerned with the design and application of...
running throughout the letters, and an audible alarm have been added to the 'T' to help prevent its theft.
In 2011, the Georgia Tech Student Government Association (SGA) launched a "Keep the 'T' in Tech" campaign to discourage thefts of 'T's from signage around the campus. The week-long campaign took place from September 26-30 and included an online petition to be published in The Technique, an open forum for discussing the issue, an amnesty day for returning stolen 'T's, and "Live the True Tradition," an evening event focused on the tradition of stealing the 'T' from Tech Tower.