Ida Noyes Hall
Location1212 East 59th Street
Chicago, Illinois 60637
United States
Coordinates41.787949°N 87.595598°W
Completion date1916
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

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. ^ "Ida Noyes Hall: Photographic Archive: The University of Chicago"
  2. ^ "David Rubenstein Gives $50 Million to Modernize Ida Noyes Hall". Chicago Maroon. 2026-03-26. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  3. ^ "Ida Noyes Hall". openhousechicago.org. Archived from the original on 2013-01-28. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  4. ^ "Ida Noyes Hall - A Center for Women on Campus". lib.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  5. ^ "Guide to the Ida Noyes Papers". Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library. Retrieved 2013-09-06.
  6. ^ "Portrait of Ida Noyes vanishes without a trace". chicagomaroon.com. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  7. ^ "Ida Noyes Hall". uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2019-08-16.
  8. ^ "The Masque of Youth". magazine.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  9. ^ "Conservators restore youth to Ida Noyes Hall mural". magazine.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  10. ^ "FacadeRenovation". Chicago Maroon. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  11. ^ "Renovation". primerachicago.com. Archived from the original on February 10, 2011. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  12. ^ "Renovation". Chicago Maroon. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  13. ^ "Ida Noyes Hall". uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2012-12-08.
  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 8 April 2026.
  17. ^ Frenchman, Ethan (2007-06-22). "Movie magic at the U of C". University of Chicago Magazine Blog. Archived 2008-08-30 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2012-12-09.
  18. ^ "M50 million gift to revitalize historic Ida Noyes Hall as a space for students, visitors". University of Chicago News. 2026-03-26. Retrieved 2026-04-06.