The Grafton County Superior Court rejected a local neighborhood association's appeal ofthe proposed new location of the Dragon senior society, clearing the way for the College to relocate the society.
The College had planned to move the Dragon from its current home behind Baker Library to an empty lot near Delta Delta Delta sorority. But now officials say the Dragon probably will be moved to a location behind Delta Gamma sorority near Bartlett Tower.
The Occom Pond Neighborhood Preservation Association protested the original move, saying it would violate neighborhood regulations that require a subdivision approval.
Judge Edward Fitzgerald III decided on March 10 to reject the appeal by the association.
Now, Director of Real Estate Paul Olsen said the Dragon's relocation should be complete by the end of the summer.
"In terms of the court case, a big cloud has been lifted off the project," Olsen said. "We are now more in control of the schedule of things."
After the association's suit delayed and threatened the move, Dragon asked the College to consider the second site near DG.
"By removing ourselves from the Webster Avenue site, the court case became moot," said Spencer Morgan, Dragon's alumni representative. "We were tired of being a pawn in the Occom Ridge Neighborhood Organization's attempt to prevent the Jewish Center from being where it will and should be located."
College officials and Morgan said Dragon will most likely relocate to the alternate location if the Town of Hanover approves the move.
The Board of Trustees has already approved both areas as possible sites for relocation.
Director of Facilities Planning Gordie DeWitt said the Dragon will move to the alternate location, even though the Webster Avenue site would be easier since it has already been approved by the town.
Olsen said, "from the College's point of view, the Webster Avenue site is approved and ready to go whereas there is still an approval process to go through for the other site."
Both Morgan and Olsen stressed the society and the College are cooperating on the relocation effort.
"The site above DG is not our first preference, but having been part of Dartmouth College for almost 100 years we abide by the Trustees' decision," Morgan said.
Though initial plans called for Dartmouth to lift the building off of its present foundation and move it to the Webster Avenue site, the College and the society now prefer constructing a new building.
"The old building is well over 60 years old and, just like a person, it is starting to fail," Spencer said.
The College needs to move the Dragon, which is currently located behind Baker Library, in order to finish construction of a steam tunnel next year.
Also, the construction of the new Berry Library, which is slated to begin in 1998, cannot begin until the Dragon is moved.
