Click to enlarge   James Hasty of Hallet Movers shelves books at the new Seminary Co-op Bookstore in McGiffert House, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave., last Monday afternoon.   Click to enlarge   Following a bagpipe and a banner, Seminary Co-op Bookstore Manager Jack Cella leads a parade of local authors carrying their recently published books from the old location of the Seminary Co-op Bookstore, 5757 S. University Ave., to its new location in McGiffert House, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave., Monday morning.  The store will open to the public Wednesday, Nov. 21.

Seminary Co-op in new digs By Lindsay Welbers Staff Writer Last week, Jack Cella stood in the basement of the Chicago Theological Seminary. He has to duck to walk around the short, claustrophobic space that for the last 51 years has been home to the Seminary Co-op Bookstore. Instead of the bookshelves being filled floor-to-ceiling with academic tomes, they stood empty. The Seminary Co-op bookstore moved to a new space above ground, with natural sunlight, a fireplace, outdoor green space and room to expand. On Sunday, Nov. 11, the Co-op closed the basement space, at 5757 S. University Ave., and began removing the books from cases. Cella said if you placed all the bookshelves end-to-end, they would stretch 1.5 miles. On Wednesday, Nov. 21, the Seminary Co-op will open in their new space, 5751 S. Woodlawn Ave. Upon entering the new bookstore visitors will first see the front table, which for decades has featured the best, newest academic books, a great many of them produced by University of Chicago Press. The nooks and crannies that came about as a result of trying to fit as many books as possible into one basement have been given a nod in the new space. The bookshelves are set at an angle against the walls, creating a disjointed feeling. “The maze element has been retained,” Cella said. Alcoves are built into the shelves so that someone browsing can be surrounded on three sides by books. But the new space is a little wider, to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The space is fully ADA compliant, down to the newly installed elevator. The low ceiling at the original Co-op, which forced employees over four feet tall to duck, is gone. But the exposed pipes that kept the old bookstore cozy in February and sweltering in July haven’t come along. The new ceiling does have exposed pipes in the ceiling, but they’re situated well above where anyone is likely to bump their head. “They’ll still be there, just higher,” Cella said. The space by the floor-to-ceiling windows along Woodlawn Avenue provides a view of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Robie House and will serve as a space for events and author talks. The basement of the new store will house racks of books for U. of C. classes with more room than needed. Cella said they are considering adding a sale section in the back of the basement. The new store may not be fully completed until a few weeks after it opens. The cash register arrived damaged and some lighting fixtures won’t be installed before opening day. But the entire operation is expected to be up and running in a few weeks. By this same time next year Cella said he wants the new Co-op to have established a presence in the neighborhood that is bigger and more inviting than the old store. “We want to have life here,” Cella said. “With the other store, unless you knew it was there you were unlikely to come and see it.” l.welbers@hpherald.com

Click to enlarge   Pierce Tower, 5514 S. University Ave., will be demolished to make way for a new residence hall and dining commons.

Pierce Tower’s days numbered By Lindsay Welbers Staff Writer Pierce Tower has been home to University of Chicago undergrads for over five decades, but its useful life has come to an end. The university announced last week that the 10-story tower, 5514 S. University Ave., will be demolished after this school year ends in June to make way for a new residence and dining hall. The new building is scheduled to open in 2016 but plans are sparse as to what the structure will look like, how many students it will house, what it will cost to demolish Pierce Tower, or to construct the new building. The new building will occupy the site where Pierce Tower sits and the North Field recreational area. The university said the field will be replaced with another recreational space on 61st Street. The university is still in the planning stages and does not yet have an architect for the new building. The residence and dining hall was opened in 1960 and named after Stanley “Schnitz” R. Pierce, who played halfback at U. of C. from 1911-1913. After Pierce’s death he willed his estate to the school. In February of this year students reported that plumbing issues in the residence hall had caused toilets to explode sending waste and porcelain across the bathrooms. l.welbers@hpherald.com

Ongoing
Tower Tour and Carillon Recital.  Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., $3, free with university ID.  Climb up the 271 steps of the Rockefeller Tower to see the view from the top and see and hear the carillon played from the carillon cabin high in the tower.  Meet at the Rockefeller front desk at 11:30 a.m., every weekday during the academic year.  There is also another tour at 4:30 p.m. daily during the academic year, and at 12:15 p.m. on Sundays.  There are no tours on Saturdays. $3 suggested donation.

Meditation. Twenty Minutes Still. 8-8:20 a.m., every weekday of the academic year, Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., free. Led by qualified meditation teachers.

Museum of Science and Industry Free Days. Every Tuesday, Museum of Science and Industry, 1 S. Lake Shore Drive, 773-684-1414, msichicago.org.

Sunday Evening Meditation Class. 7:30 p.m. at Chaturanga Holistic Fitness, 1525 E. 55th, No. 302, samathachicago@gmail.com, free.  A graduated practice of mindfulness of breathing.  Beginners welcome at any time. 

Pastel Art Gallery. 5-10 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 2-6 p.m., Saturdays, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave., southsidehub.org. Features musical and visual-art activities and opportunities to collaborate.

Mysore. Every day. Opportunities for yoga practice at the South Side Hub of Production, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave. Visit southsidehub.org for more information. Map of the Heart. 2-7 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. Artist Hoyun Son leads the informal story-making workshop. For more information, visit southsidehub.org.

Exhibit. “Two Histories of the World.” Hyde Park Art Center, 5020 S. Cornell Ave., 773-324-5520, hydeparkart.org. Features the works of five artists who transform used materials and explore the qualities of objects as they circulate in contemporary culture. Runs Sept. 16 through Jan. 6.

Exhibit. “Buried Treasures: Art in African American Museums.” DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th St., 773-947-0600, dusablemuseum.org. Includes around 90 works from 30 museums by artists including William Edouard Scott, Henry O. Tanner, Augusta Savage, Jacob Lawrence, Metta Warrick Fuller, Elizabeth Catlett and William H. Johnson. Runs through Dec. 31.

Exhibit. “Word, Shout, Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner: Connecting Communities Through Language.” DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th St., 773-947-0600, dusablemuseum.org. University of Chicago alum and linguist Lorenzo Dow Turner, who once taught at Howard University, researched the language of the Gullah people of the American South Atlantic coast. This exhibit contains recordings, photographs and artifacts that Turner collected. Runs through Dec. 31.

Exhibit. “Awash in Color.” Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., 773-702-0200, smartmuseum.uchicago.edu, free. Features French and Japanese Prints. Runs through Jan. 20, 2013.

Exhibit. “Renewal and Revision. Smart Museum of Art, 5550 S. Greenwood Ave., 773-702-0200, smartmuseum.uchicago.edu, free. Features Japanese prints from the 1950s and 1960s. Runs through Dec. 9.

Exhibit. “Dust in their Veins: A Visual Response to the Global Water Crisis.” DuSable Museum of African American History, 740 E. 56th St., 773-947-0600, dusablemuseum.org. An installation of mixed media art works by artist Candace Hunter addressing the plight of women and children who are adversely affected by the lack of rights to clean water. Runs through March 10.

Wednesday, Nov. 21

Weekly Meditation Class. 6 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, basement, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., samathachicago@gmail.com, free. A graduated practice of mindfulness of breathing. Beginners are welcome.

Tot Lot. 9 a.m.-noon, Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood Ave., info@babyphd.com, classes are $9 drop-in, $45 for a 10-session pass or $65 for a monthly pass. This class is intended for children 0-4 and their caregivers or parents to get together on a regular basis to learn, play and benefit from one another’s company.

Writers’ Circle. 7-9 p.m., Southside Hub of Production, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave., southsidehub.org.

Workshop. Boy Scout Archaeology Badge. 6-8 p.m., Oriental Institute, 1155 E. 58th St., 773-702-9507, oi.uchicago.edu, $10 per scout with family membership, $15 without. Scouts experience a simulated dig, go on a scavenger hunt and participate in a ceramic reconstruction to work toward their archaeology badges.

Zen Meditation. 5-6:30 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-702-2100, free.

Thursday, Nov. 22

Thanksgiving Day 2012 - An Interfaith Celebration. 11 a.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-702-2100, free. A yearly neighborhood tradition featuring the Chicago Children’s Choir, an offering for the hungry and an address by Father Freddy Washington of Saint Ambrose Church, 1012 E. 47th St.

Saturday, Nov. 24

SHoP Stuff Sale. Noon-3 p.m., South Side Hub of Production, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave, southsidehub.org. A sale in preparation for SHoP’s move out of Fenn House.

61st Street Farmer’s Market. 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 61st Street, between Blackstone and Dorchester Avenues, 773-241-6044, experimentalstation.org. Link and Senior Farmer’s Market Coupons accepted. Link purchases matched up to $25 every market day. Runs indoors through Dec. 15.

Sunday, Nov. 25

Potluck. 5:30-8:30 p.m., South Side Hub of Production, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave, southsidehub.org. Those attending should bring a dish to feed two to six people.

Sunday Evening Jazz. 3:30-4:30 p.m., Hyde Park Jazz Society, Room 43, 1043 E. 43rd St., hydeparkjazzsociety.com, $10 for adults, $5 for university students with ID. Vocalist Joan Collaso performs.

Panel Discussion. “It’s a Harold Thing: The Legacy of Harold Washington in the Age of Obama.” 2-4 p.m., Hyde Park Historial Society, 5529 S. Lake Park Avenue, 773-493-1893, hydeparkhistory.org. Panelists include Timuel Black, historian, author and activist; Sue Purrington, former executive director of the National Organization for Women’s (NOW) Chicago chapter, and former IVI-IPO head Barbara O’Connor. Co-hosted by the Hyde Park Herald and Hyde Park Historical Society.

Sundays At Rockefeller. 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-702-2100, free. Communion with Rockefeller  Chapel Choir and organ and carillon music.

Monday, Nov. 26

Tot Lot. 9 a.m.-noon, Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood Ave., info@babyphd.com, classes are $9 drop-in, $45 for a 10-session pass or $65 for a monthly pass. This class is intended for children 0-4 and their caregivers or parents to get together on a regular basis to learn, play and benefit from one another’s company.

Open Screen Printing. 6-10 p.m., Southside Hub of Production, second floor screen printing studio, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave., southsidehub.org. SHoP resident artist Sean Hernandez will be available to assist with screen printing. Call Sean to schedule a time at 520-269-2086.

Shambala Meditation. 7-9 p.m., Southside Hub of Production, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave., southsidehub.org.

A Conversation with David Axelrod. 7-8:30 p.m., Logan Center, Performance Hall 074, 915 E. 60th St., free. A look behind the scenes into the 2012 Election with David Axelrod moderated by Los Angeles news broadcaster Steve Edwards. To R.S.V.P., visit bit.ly/T0CmkI.

Mindfulness Meditation. 1-2 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-834-5143.

Tuesday, Nov. 27

Preschool Story Time. 10:30 a.m., Blackstone Library, 4904 South Lake Park Ave., 312-747-0511.

Mindfulness Meditation. 8-8:20 a.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-834-5143. For University of Chicago students who want to practice formal mindfulness meditation with a group each week. Q and A time at end to enhance practice.

Lecture. “Strengthening Social-Cognitive Skills Among Disadvantaged Youth.” Noon-1:30 p.m., School of Social Service Administration, Room W-IV, 969 E. 60th St. Social Serivce Administration professor Jens Ludwig, of the University of Chicago, presents.

Tea and Pipes. 4:30-5 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-834-5143, free. Tea with biscuits accompanied by an organ performance.

Restorative Yoga Session. 5:30-6:30 p.m. and 6:45-7:45 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-702-2100, free for students, $5 suggested donation for non-students.

Workshop. “Fun with Dick and Jane: Bringing joy to K-2 Readers.” 5 p.m., Ratner Athletic Center, Berwanger Room, 5530 S. Ellis Ave., 773-834-1935. With Lisa Vahey, founder of the New Teachers Network, a Chicago non-profit. To R.S.V.P., visit goo.gl/oAVPz.

Lecture. “Re-examining the “Marginal Institution”: the Role of Benguela in the Transatlantic Slave Trade.” 5-6:30 p.m., Social Science Research, Room 122, 1126 E. 59th St., 773-702-7721. Mariana P. Candido, of Princeton University, presents.

Lakeside Quilting Guild. 6:30-9 p.m., Treasure Island, basement, 1526 E. 55th St., lakesidequiltingguild.weebly.com, $20 annual membership fee.

Wednesday, Nov. 28

Weekly Meditation Class. 6 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, basement, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., samathachicago@gmail.com, free. A graduated practice of mindfulness of breathing. Beginners are welcome.

Tot Lot. 9 a.m.-noon, Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood Ave., info@babyphd.com, classes are $9 drop-in, $45 for a 10-session pass or $65 for a monthly pass. This class is intended for children 0-4 and their caregivers or parents to get together on a regular basis to learn, play and benefit from one another’s company.

Writers’ Circle. 7-9 p.m., Southside Hub of Production, 5638 S. Woodlawn Ave., southsidehub.org.

Wednesday Night Family Story Time. 6:30 p.m., Blackstone Library, 4904 South Lake Park Ave., 312-747-0511.

Zen Meditation. 5-6:30 p.m., Rockefeller Chapel, 5850 S. Woodlawn Ave., 773-702-2100, free.

Discussion. “Emergency Medicine Interest Group: A Day in the Life” Panel. Noon-1 p.m., Biological Sciences Learning Center, Room 202, 924 E. 57th St. Emergency Medicine residents and attendings discuss the day-to-day lives of EM physicians.

Radical Interpretations of the Crisis: A Roundtable Discussion. 5-7 p.m., International House, Assembly Hall, 1414 E. 59th St., 773-753-2274, free. Loyola University’s David Schweickart and Notre Dame University’s David Ruccio present.

Play. “Two Gentlemen of Verona.” 7:30-8:30 p.m., Logan Center, Theater West 115, 915 E. 60th St., 773-702-9315.

MEETINGS

Wednesday

Phillip Murray Language Academy local school council. 5-6 p.m., Phillip Murray Language Academy, 5335 S. Kenwood Ave., 773-535-0585.

CAPS meeting, beats 233, 234 and 235. 6:30-7:30 p.m., Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, 5480 S. Kenwood Ave., 1-312-747-5109.

Tuesday