Fort Gordon Signal School, Nelson Hall, 520 Chamberlain Avenue U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence, Fort Gordon

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS GA-6-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The United States (U.S.) Army Southeastern Signal School is located on the grounds of Fort Gordon in Richmond County, Georgia. The campus is bounded by Chamberlain Avenue to the south and 8th Avenue to the east, north and west. Nelson Hall is located 520 Chamberlain Avenue, U.S. Army Cyber Center of Excellence. Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinates: 17S 393449E (Center of Nelson Hall, obtained December via Google Earth. No restrictions on public release.)

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS GA-6-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Nelson Hall is one of 13 buildings within a designed landscape that comprises the Fort Gordon Signal School campus (HALS GA-6). The property is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places for associations with military defense communications, and design values associated with New Formalism The Army s adoption of this style projected a modernist image that matched its investment in emerging communications technology that defined the Cold War. It is also significant for its associations with military education as the sole institution dedicated to advanced instruction in electronic communications. Description: Nelson Hall is named in Honor of Major General Ralph T.

Nelson United States Army, who served as Commanding General of the Signal Corps Training Center from to The building served as a classroom building for the Southeastern Signal School Campus (Figure 1). Located on the western side of the campus, it is similar to Johnston, Burkhardt, Stansell, Hazen and Nelson Halls. All the buildings share the same 61 -8 width and vary by length. Designed in a Mid-Twentieth-Century-Modern design variant known as New Formalism, the classroom building has the following character-defining features: - Monumental scale - Appears to float on the landscape or to be set on a podium - Rectangular massing - Flat roof - Brick veneer forming large expanses of smooth surfaces - Exposed structural system of distinctive waffle slab concrete FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL,

Nelson Hall Hals

No. GA-6-B (Page 2) - Delicacy of details such as brushed aluminum architectural lettering for signage, overhanging eaves with perforations in the waffle slab for light/shadow effects on the brick veneer Nelson Hall is a two-story, 344 long x 61 -8 wide classroom building on the western side of the campus. Each floor is essentially identical (Figure 2). A 7 -6 wide central corridor runs the length of the building serving classrooms on each side. Staircase and restrooms are located at each end of the building. The elevations of the six linear classroom buildings are variations of a general design (Figures 5 and 6). Large expanses of masonry are punctuated by fenestration panels inset into the structure with the structure exposed at the intervening floors.

The end elevations of all the buildings are identical. The structure consists of a cast-in-place concrete columns with a waffle construction system forming the floor/ceiling structure. The second and ceiling waffle systems are set within the structure; however, the waffle slabs forming the roof extends slightly over the exterior walls, creating a horizontal overhang. Some of the waffles have been perforated to cast decorative light patterns on the facade. The window systems extend the full height of each floor and the floor slab is exposed between floors on the exterior. The window systems are composed of bright aluminum window frames that enclose a tan colored panel below an awning window. A small tan colored panel is set above the awning window.

The main entrances are on the east and west facades with two sets of double steel doors on the first floor. Flooring surfaces are simple and unrefined throughout. Floors covered with square composite, marbled tiles measuring 12 x 12 are common throughout all buildings, as is polished concrete. Some surfaces have been covered over with indoor/outdoor carpet. Corridors and major spaces feature exposed concrete waffle slab painted beige. Interior walls are generally painted concrete masonry units. Original hardware is brush aluminum. Doorknobs are round with brushed aluminum back plates. Large, brushed aluminum lettering of the name of each the structure in a sans serif font is prominently located at each entry. Aluminum display cases are located at most entries.

The building has been well maintained and exhibits no evidence of structural failure. Most all original fabric, materials, and components are intact, with wear and tear that would be expected on a structure over fifty years of age. However, FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL, NELSON HALL HALS No. GA-6-B (Page 3) HVAC and plumbing systems have reached the end of their operational lifespan, resulting in high maintenance costs. Hazardous materials such as friable asbestos are present, as are mold and mildew issues. Paint failure is evident on the concrete waffle slabs. Exterior original lighting fixtures are in generally poor condition, with some lamp posts missing parts. Security issues have required the filling in of glazing of many of the window systems with solid panels. History: Refer to HALS No.

GA-6 for historical context of the Fort Gordon Signal School campus.

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS GA-6-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Drawings: Drawings are in the public domain, on file at the Directorate of Public Works, Fort Gordon, Georgia. Secondary and Published: Adams, Sunny E. and Adam D. Smith. Character-Defining Features of Contributing Buildings and Structures in the Fort Gordon, Georgia, Signal School Campus Historic District. ERDC/CERL Champaign, IL: Engineer Research and Development Center Construction Engineering Laboratory. Smith, Adam D., and Sunny E. Stone. 2005a. Fort Gordon Architectural Survey ERDC/CERL 1. Champaign, IL: Engineer Research and Development Center- Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. Fort Gordon Cold War Architectural Survey Volume 1: Historic Context and Survey Results. ERDC/CERL Vol. I.

Champaign, IL: Engineer Research and Development Center-Construction Engineering Research Laboratory. Fort Gordon Cold War Architectural Survey Volume 2: Signal School Survey Forms. ERDC/CERL Vol. II. Champaign, IL: Engineer Research and Development Center--Construction Engineering Research Laboratory.

Source document Quoted word for word from HALS GA-6-B. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

Compiled from work by Adam Smith and Sonny Stone, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, with editing and additional writing by Joseph S. Murphey, Historical Architect, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District. Completed in February FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL,

Nelson Hall Hals

No. GA-6-B (Page 4) Supplemental Material: < NORTH < NORTH Figure 1. Undated Site Plan of the Southeastern Signal School, (Fort Gordon FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL, NELSON HALL HALS No. GA-6-B (Page 5) Figure 2. Typical Floor Plan, The floor plans of Burkhardt, Fisher, Johnston, Hazen, Nelson and Stansell are similar. All are based on a 68 -7 width structure of varying lengths with a central corridor with classrooms on each side with stairs at each end. (Fort Gordon FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL, NELSON HALL HALS No. GA-6-B (Page 6) Figure 3. Floor plan of Nelson Hall, detail of figure 2, west end, FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL, NELSON HALL HALS No. GA-6-B (Page 7) Figure 4. Floor plan of Nelson Hall, detail of figure 2, east end, FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL, NELSON HALL HALS No.

GA-6-B (Page 8) Figure 5. Typical Elevation, The elevations of Burkhardt, Fisher, Johnston, Hazen, Nelson and Stansell are very similar variations on a general design large expanses of unadorned masonry punctuated by fenestration panels and exposed structure. (Fort Gordon FORT GORDON SIGNAL SCHOOL, NELSON HALL HALS No. GA-6-B (Page 9) Figure 6. Typical end elevation, The end elevations of Burkhardt, Fisher, Johnston, Hazen, Nelson and Stansell Halls are identical. All are based on a 68 -7 width. (Fort Gordon