BURLINGTON, Vt. - The blending of old and new into a state of the art facility to serve prospective and current students at Champlain College will be officially dedicated Friday, Sept. 24, at the Roger H. Perry Hall on South Willard Street.

An open house from 4 to 6:30 p.m. includes tours of the restored historic home built in 1859 the new additions on the west side by Admission student ambassadors and Student Government Association members.

The dedication of the building, named for former Champlain President Roger H. Perry, will be at 5:15 p.m. under the tent. Offering remarks and perspectives on the project will be President David F. Finney; James B, Foster, chair of the Champlain Board of Trustees; Jean C. Carroon, principal architect on the project from Goody Clancy & Associates of Boston; David J. Provost, senior vice president, Financial Administration for Champlain College; Allison Neal, a senior at the College, and Roger H. Perry, President Emeritus. Work the $12 million facility began in May 2009 to restore and expand the circa 1859 brick home located in Burlington's historic Hill section across from the main Champlain College campus. The building has served as home to several notable historic figures during its 151-year history, including a noted Vermont lawyer and advisor to Presidents Grover Cleveland and Millard Fillmore, a local financier and a doctor.</p> <p>Champlain's offices of admission, financial aid, registration, student accounts and advising and international studies are centrally located in Perry Hall. The facility blends careful historic preservation with cutting-edge technology and sustainability practices and the first stop for prospective students and their families when visiting campus.</p> <p>The new building incorporates energy-efficient lighting and climate control systems, including a geothermal pump from Perry Hall's deep water wells. The goal, Finney said, is to earn platinum - the highest level of certification from The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System. LEED recognizes performance in five key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality.

The original structure's open staircase, ornate historic details and ground floor rooms have been carefully preserved and will be used for reception and conference spaces. Perry Hall's former library space now houses the Llewellyn Collection, a remarkable collection of documents, maps, postcards, and historic artifacts related to Vermont, and in particular the Burlington area. Many of the pieces from the collection have been framed and are on display throughout the building.

The modern additions facing Lake Champlain includes: an elevator, stairs, offices, small meeting rooms, restrooms and a full-size presentation and conference room. A courtyard and balconies take advantage of the views to the lake and Adirondacks beyond.

The restored historic brick carriage barn on the western end of the property now serves as a dedicated computer lab and digital studio for Champlain's Division of Communication & Creative Media students. A small, historic caretaker's cottage was also preserved and moved to the northwestern side of the property.

The property's original iron fence along Willard Street was refurbished and the front lawn restored. A new promenade walkway will link Perry with the main campus, residence halls and parking area for visitors. Visitors will find an original iron sundial created by Vermont sculptor Kate Pond, at the edge of an innovative wetland garden on the lower edge of the property to absorb storm water runoff.

Several displays at Perry Hall help tell the stories of the four families who lived in the home.

It was built in 1859 by Middlebury lawyer and diplomat Edward Phelps, and is one of only 11 houses in the South Willard Street Historic District that predates the Civil War.

Phelps, who served in the administrations of Presidents Cleveland and Fillmore, sold the home to local financier John J. Flynn in 1913. Flynn, the founder of Chittenden Bank and many other ventures throughout Vermont, was one of the largest landowners in Burlington at the time. The Flynn name adorns Burlington's famous theater, as well as Flynn Avenue.

Flynn's wife, Nellie, had a lifelong interest in native flora of Vermont and published the "Flora of Burlington" in 1911. Her extensive collection of 22,700 specimens is part of a permanent collection of state flora at the University of Vermont. Upon Flynn's death in 1940, he bequeathed the house to the City of Burlington to serve as a home for older men.

The city, when faced with high operating costs for the home, sold it to Gilbert Brewer, who in turn sold the home to Dr. and Mrs. Martin Cannon in 1955. The Cannons and their 11 children lived in the home until 2004 when the College purchased it. It was renamed to honor retiring President Roger H. Perry in 2005. It remained vacant until restoration work began in May 2009.

"The grace with which this 151-year-old Italianate-style brick home expands into the sleek glass-fronted additions reflects the masterful partnership of architects and preservation experts. The finished landmark is as innovative as it is spectacular - its incorporation of sustainable and efficiency features sets a new standard for energy and environmental design in the State of Vermont," Finney said.