Opening Night at Cap

A  Message from Michael Mathews '62...

Let the celebrations begin.  I stopped by Cap on opening night to find our architects, Dennis,  our undergraduate officers, Lisa and Mike Camp basking in the glow of the refinished wood in the old dining room, beneath improved lighting and looking into a new serving area that clearly had worked to feed our returning classes of 2011 and 2012 for the evening meal.

The work that had preceded this event was Herculean.  Another huge thanks to Dennis, aka Hercules.

I can report that a brief after-dinner tour showed the old building totally up and ready for business, with new space working in the basement and with elegant restroom facilities installed and functioning.  Dennis had no time to unpack his office but there are two very comfortable leather chairs which I also tried out.

One of the benefits of living in town for me is to be able to travel up to Prospect Street and to have a look on occasions such as this.  I am sending this to you all simply to report that major progress has been made and is a milestone to be celebrated.

Thanks to all of the hard working team for all that you have done for the current and future generations at Cap.

'Twas the Night Before School Starts...

Cap members are back on campus for the start of classes tomorrow - and for the opening night dinner at the club!  Tonight will be the first chance for many of them to see the major renovations.  Cap has been cleaned up in preparation for their return-- they will be welcomed back by a new club and beautiful Princeton weather (75 degrees, not a cloud in the sky).

Although the "new" club isn't open yet, the servery is fully functional and looks great.  Cap's first meal will be dinner tonight-- I'm sure that the students will have a lot to say about Cap's transformation. 

If you can't make it for dinner tonight, here is a little look inside at the skylight, the taproom, the new dinning room and the first floor balcony.

Coming Up This Fall at Cap!

The fall semester at Princeton is about to begin, and the undergrads are on the verge of returning to Cap to see all the changes that have taken place over the summer.

You must be itching to return, too!  You never need an excuse to come by Cap, but the fall is a beautiful time to return to campus and catch a football game, a soccer game, a field hockey game, visit the Art Museum or the new Lewis Science Center, see a play at McCarter, or catch any of the many events on campus these days.

Here are a few links to schedules:
Athletics: http://goprincetontigers.com/
Art Museum: http://artmuseum.princeton.edu/
Campus Events: http://www.princeton.edu/events/
Campus Venues: http://www.princeton.edu/main/visiting/venues/

The best time to return- for a great party at Cap- is the weekend of the Princeton vs. Harvard football game on Saturday, October 23rd at 1pm.  We'll be hosting our annual "homecoming" party at Cap featuring the Blaire Reinhard Band!  Check them out at http://www.myspace.com/blaireband.  Come for food, music, fun and to see friends --and to see progress on the renovations to the main clubhouse, and the new wing.

If you stop by the club and are as amazed by the transformation as we are, send us your reactions (and photos) to capandgownclub@gmail.com.  We'll post up what you have to say on the Cap Blog for your 15 minutes of Cap fame!

Here are some of the latest pictures from construction:  The new dinning room, servery, first floor balcony, and a view from the courtyard.

We hope to see you at Cap!

The View From Cottage

As the summer winds down and the students pack up for Princeton, the Cap Construction Crew prepares for the start of the new year.

Construction has been in full swing this summer and the progress they have made is unbelievable.  I'm sure most of you noticed the slight disarray of the club last spring-- that was nothing compared to what it was after you left.

And now as the clean up begins in preparation for the students' return, you are able to see what has been under the dust at Cap.

The new dinning room and taproom are visible and you can easily imagine yourself enjoying dinner and a beer in the new wing.

But most importantly, check out the pictures below: the view from Cottage.  Now you can really see what a massive addition has been made and how great our beloved Cap will look so soon!

It's amazing how the project is coming along so nicely and it's a pleasure to see the almost-end result.  Make sure you stop by Cap in the fall to check out what all of your very generous donations have been able to produce!

Cap Construction Moving Along

...And then there were walls.  The new dinning room has walls, the new bathrooms are tiled, and the air conditioning is almost on!

Construction at Cap is really underway as the crew prepares for the students' return in the fall.  The club has to be functioning by September 1st, so big changes are being made.

The new geothermal system and piping is installed-- campaign coordinators Lisa Schmucki, Karl Pettit and Tom Fleming went down to the basement to check it out!

The students of 2011 and 2012 will really be pleased as they are the first to experience all of the renovations.  The club is expected to be fully completed by January 2011.

Alumni-- be sure to stop at Cap in the fall to be amazed by how great our old club looks!

Cap Construction Update

Heading down Prospect Street toward Cap doesn't feel very different.  Neither does crossing across the front lawn.  Everything seems to be in order and Cap looks just like it always has (with the exception of the recliner on the front lawn).

But heading around the back is a different story.  As you stroll down Roper Lane an impressive steel structure comes into view.

A lot has been happening since the students left for summer and the general cheer from Reunions and graduation has died down.  The construction crew has been working hard and making huge strides toward the completion of Cap's addition and renovation.

Although Cap may look like a mess now, the crew is on a tight schedule to complete all of the renovations inside in just three months.  The kitchen is completely gone and a brand new kitchen and servery must be finished before the students return on September 1st.

The old club is barely recognizable under all the dust as Cap is installing a new geothermal heating and cooling system which requires new piping to be installed throughout the old building as well as in the addition.  With the environmental crisis happening in the Gulf right now, people are much more aware of how they use oil.  The new system will make Cap more "green" by eliminating the use of fossil fuels.

The new system will be quiet, durable and cost effective.  All Cap members will be happy and warm in the winter and cool and dry in the summer.  This new system will provide the entire building with air conditioning, making Cap the perfect place for a reception if you're planning a wedding next summer!

We really expect the new dinning hall and tap room to make a wonderful addition to our beloved Cap.  The steel structure that many members were awed by during Reunions has a nearly completed roof.  The renovated tap room is also well underway.  Things are really coming along in the construction and we're actually starting to see what a wonderful project this is turning out to be!

Cap Hosts More than 500 at Reunions

Cap broke a record at Reunions this year, hosting more than 500 Cap members, family, and friends at our post-P-rade Open House.  The crowds packed the clubhouse and an enormous tent was set up on the front lawn for Reunions and Graduation. 

Everyone was awed by the progress on our construction.  Cap members viewed the newly-erected steel framing from the sunporch (now converted to a temporary taproom), and from the second floor deck.

This was the last hurrah for Cap-as-we-know-it.  When students return on September 1st there will be an all-new servery and a renovated "old" dining room.  The new wing is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.