The country’s first student union, Houston Hall is the large, Gothic building in the Quad at 3417 Spruce St. Probably most famous for its Houston Market, which offers a smorgasbord of mouth-watering delights, the building also houses retail shops, the University’s information center and a number of lounges, offices and meeting places.

In this edition of By The Numbers, we deck the halls of Houston Hall.

2 Years it took to construct the building. It was built between 1894 and 1896. It was altered in 1936, and restored and enlarged from 1995-2000.

$100,000 Amount donated by Trustee Henry Howard Houston and his wife Sallie to erect the building. They gave the gift in memory of their son, Henry Howard Houston, Jr., Class of 1878, who died in 1879.

300 Seating capacity for the theater in the Hall of Flags, which can be reserved for events. The Banquet holds 250.

4 Number of floors in the building (including the ground floor).

200 Room number for the Office of Student Life, on the second floor.

$1 Price of a copy card at University Copy, on the first floor. Twenty copies can be made for $1.

3,120 Total square feet of the Class of 1966 Reading Room, on the first floor. Comfortable chairs and tables in an intimate setting foster a quiet yet collegial environment.

12 Hours a day, from Monday through Friday, that ice cream shop Scoop DeVille, on the ground floor, is open. Its hours are noon to midnight.