Located in the south/front part of the Winnetka campus building, this hidden-yet-useful-space—the fifth floor tower—represents the depth of the New Trier community.

The fifth floor is a part of the original building from 1901. With lots of new construction, the space is one that embodies the New Trier legacy by serving as a reminder of the past. 

The tower has a rich history. It was once used to host the New Trier radio station because it was the highest point of the building. In the past before newer technology, radio waves needed to be higher up in order to be closer to the antennae for a better signal. Currently, the fifth floor is being used as a temporary office for TrevIT: the New Trier technology department, and as the meeting place for Binary Heart Club.

Facilities Manager at the Winnetka campus Micheal Fess explained that the custodial staff, the staff of Binary Heart, and the technology department all have access to the fifth floor.

Binary Heart Club is the primary user of the tower. The club receives donations of old technology like phones and iPads and restores them so the devices can be given to those in need. Co-sponsors James Byrne and Kristie Caruthers enjoy using the fifth floor as their club space. James Byrne is the Senior Network Engineer in the technology department and Kristie Caruthers is the System Administrator for the technology department. 

As construction continues, the office that Trev IT used in the past is near the noise. As a result of this, TrevIT now has a temporary office that is housed on the fifth floor. 

“During this phase of Winnetka construction, office space is at a premium, so we created a temporary office up there to free up some space in the IT office, room 224,” Michael Valadez, the network and operations manager, says.

Valadez explains how the space was transformed for the use of the IT department.

“I contacted PPS and asked them to change a couple of ceiling tiles and slap on a fresh coat of paint. They went beyond that, repairing some wall damage and removing a window between the offices,” he says.

On the fifth floor, there are multiple rooms with many different purposes. Right past the staircase, there is a door that allows roof access. Past this, there is an open space with a few tables that are utilized by the club. Another door to the right is used for the IT department. 

Looking towards the middle of the room, there are a few doors that lead to a semi-connected room. This area holds the equipment for the Binary Heart Club, including computers, phones, iPads, radios, monitors, and even an old XBOX.

Binary Heart club enjoys the space on the fifth floor and the sponsors are grateful for their club space.

“It’s a great space because it’s out of the way,” Byrne says.

The only clear problem the co-sponsors find with the space is its lack of accessibility—the  only way to reach it is by staircase. Additionally, the door to the staircase leading to the fifth floor stays locked and has limited access. 

Despite the lack of accessibility, the members of Binary Heart Club seem to have found a comfy home up on the fifth floor.

“It has a clubhouse type feel and we really enjoy that up there,” Caruthers remarks.