Buildings @ Oakland University
Anibal and Fitzgerald House
Quick facts
- Ground-Breaking Ceremony: May 8th, 1961
- Building Dedication: October 1961
- Cost: $598,724.29
- Funding: A $600,000 loan was received from the Federal Government to contribute to building costs; this did not cover furnishing costs.
- Architect: L.G. Redstone, Architects, Inc.
- Construction: J.A. Fredman
- Specifications: Anibal Hall: 20,487 sq. ft; Fitzgerald Hall: 20,610 sq. ft
- Namesake:
- Anibal Hall: Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin H. Anibal, donors of 1,000 General Motors stock shares ($57,000) to be put towards furnishing both Anibal and Fitzgerald Houses. Benjamin Anibal was a member of the automotive industry from 1909 to 1947, and was instrumental in the integration of a variety of technical advancements in automotive engineering.
- Fitzgerald Hall: Mr. and Mrs. Harold Fitzgerald, who donated $45,000 to the building project. Harold Fitzgerald was a publisher at the Pontiac Press in addition to serving as president of the MSUO Foundation.
History
Anibal and Fitzgerald Halls were the first two residence halls for students. Building was delayed when the state legislature failed to approve the federal loan. When school started, girls lived in a farm house about 12 miles from campus in the large country home at Upland Farms, the 600-acre Addison Township estate of Mr and Mrs Knight Webster, and boys lived in the science-engineering building (Hannah Hall).
Though it had been designated a men's only dormitory, 47 resident women called Fitzgerald Hall home until construction on Anibal Hall was completed, making Fitzgerald Hall OU's only co-ed dormitory of the four original buildings. "Fitz" had tables of plastic laminate finished to resemble oiled walnut. Orange occasional chairs added spice to the predominantly blue and green color scheme of the lounge.
In 1990, Anibal House was designated as a "wellness" dormitory, and only those students who would agree to abstain from alcohol, cigarettes, and drug use in favor of academic, physical, and interpersonal reflection were admitted to reside there. To the surprise of the public, residence rates matched those of Anibal House's less-restrictive dormitory counterparts.
For more information
"Temporary Co-Ed Dorm Opens," Oakland Observer, Oct. 13, 1961
"Dorm Construction Starts," Oakland Observer, May 12, 1961
"Anibal House: The House that Health Built," Oakland Post, Oct. 1, 1990
Photos courtesy of the Oakland University Archives.