The Northern Star Perspective staff tackles what should be put in place of Lincoln Hall.

Jeremiah Caterina

Why settle for only one use for the area Lincoln Hall occupies?

Cut the lot in half between Lincoln Drive and Lucinda Avenue and address two things students want: more parking and a place to study.

The southern half of the lot should be used for additional student parking.

Since the administration wants to make Lucinda the campus’ main street, additional parking will become even more necessary than it already is.

On the northern half, erect a three-story Lincoln Lounge. Use the main floor as a venue for students to socialize over coffee. Put a computer lab on the second floor. Reserve the top floor as a quiet area where students can read and study.

Anthony Szudarski

Lincoln Hall should be used as a venue for student organizations to host their events.

While the Duke Ellington Ballroom and other locations around campus organizations can reserve have been working well enough, a place specifically designated for student-run events would be a great idea for NIU.

The spot wouldn’t be strictly limited to student organizations, either. If one or two students wanted to rent a space for, say, a gaming tournament, the spot could be beneficial.

Imagine students living on campus having all their events a short walk away from them.

With a set location, students would always know where to go if they were looking for something going on around them.

Kim Randall

To make the best use of Lincoln Hall if it’s reopened, NIU should turn it into a building for student social activities.

We have plenty of places for students to engage in athletic activity but very few for everyday social activity.

With the Recreation Center directly across the street, Lincoln’s lot would be a perfect location for such a building.

The building could host art and performance activities, student organization events and social gatherings. NIU could even construct a small movie theater if the space permits.

With NIU constantly striving to become more student-centered, this would certainly be a great opportunity for the university to accomplish that goal.

Blake Glosson

The space occupied by a vacant Lincoln Hall should be put toward building more parking for students.

As a commuter, I would be an advocate of additional parking whenever and wherever we can get it on campus.

Too often students end up ravenously searching for parking spots like hungry lions hunting for fresh prey after a famine.

The area could be used as an overflow lot for the Recreation Center, which can get extremely busy on weeknights once classes conclude for the day.

Having a nearby parking lot would also be convenient for sporting events around the Yordon Center and Chessick Practice Center, as well as for people living in the residence halls nearby.