Longtime Dream of the AAVSO Now Fulfilled!
When the floorplan of the "AAVSO ideal headquarters" was drawn over 50 years ago, included was a dormitory for visiting astronomers, members, and students. However, none of our rented locations were spacious enough for such a luxury. Even when we moved to our first permanent home at 25 Birch Street in Cambridge, we didn't have enough extra space (although we often talked, usually jokingly, about adding a third floor to the building that would provide guest/staff bedrooms, an auditorium, and a hot tub!). The need to find temporary housing for a visitor to the AAVSO often came up over the years, and we searched for bed-and-breakfasts, hotels, apartments, etc., that were affordable and suitably located.
Now, at last, in the AAVSO's current home at 49 Bay State Road in Cambridge, a longtime dream has been realized: a guest suite exists for AAVSO visitors! Thanks to the foresight of the AAVSO Council, meticulous planning by Arne and Linda Henden in concert with the architects, careful oversight of the construction by Arne and Linda, and much physical labor by the contractors and the Hendens - and thanks to longtime AAVSO member and colleague Dr. Walter A. Feibelman, whose very generous bequest made the project possible - visitors to the AAVSO may now have a place to rest their weary heads and write up their research notes.
Take a tour of the Walter A. Feibelman Suite
The Walter A. Feibelman Suite, which is sunny, airy, and located on the second floor of Headquarters, consists of a bedroom/living room with one queen bed, a kitchenette, and a full bathroom with tub/shower. It is open for business - we were delighted to have our first guests, AAVSO Historian Thomas R. Williams and his wife, Anna Fay Williams, in residence for the month of July, 2009!
AAVSO members in good standing and colleagues interested in reserving the Feibelman Suite should contact AAVSO Headquarters (aavso@aavso.org) for details about availability and reserving time. Since we are a non-profit, we cannot charge a rate for the room. However, we can accept a donation to help cover expenses (someone has to clean the room, do the laundry, replace supplies, buy new linens, etc.). We have tentatively set the suggested donation at $50 for single night stays, and can adjust that as necessary for longer stays. You may also consider upgrading your membership level to "sustaining" in appreciation of your visit. Please remember that these are optional donations and you are not required to pay anything to stay in the suite.
We look forward to seeing some of you in residence in the coming months!