The 53-year-old Cambridge Hall will undergo a $15.1 million renovation this upcoming summer — the first major change in its history, Facilities Management officials said.
Construction will begin in June 2015 and is projected to be completed in June 2016. The hall should be ready for occupancy again in August 2016, said Bill Olen, capital projects director.
Olen said this renovation would mark the first in the high-rise community to result in a yearlong closure, rather than the typical renovation plan, which spans three summers.
This project is part of Residential Facilities’ phased renovation of housing units on the campus, Olen said, adding that the full renovation will include new air conditioning systems, life safety systems, new bathrooms and a study space.
“The renovated building will be more sustainable than it is today,” Olen said. “It will have new energy-efficient windows and mechanical systems.”
Amy Martin, Department of Resident Life associate director, said the closing of Cambridge Hall for a year will not cause a shortage of dorms due to the recent construction of Prince Fredrick Hall and because Cambridge only holds about 200 students.
But whether or not the cost of living after the renovation will increase is a question that’s yet to be answered due to the differentiated rates proposal in progress, Martin said.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to implement some of our ideas for the housing plans such as study areas and upgraded bathrooms,” she said.
Derek Farley, a freshman enrolled in letters in sciences, said Cambridge “certainly needs” the changes.
“It’s just not up to standard with the rest of housing,” the Cambridge resident said. “Other than not having AC, the atmosphere and overall design of the building just seems more like a prison cell than a college dorm, with the cinderblocks, narrow halls and ancient everything.”
Farley added the bathrooms could especially use the investment after a water pipe problem temporarily shut down one section of bathrooms for Cambridge residents this semester.
“I’m happy that the university has responded to complaints about uneven housing conditions and poor facilities by taking action and investing a large sum of money to renovate Cambridge for future residents,” he said.
After visiting other dorms around the campus, freshman mathematics major Sam Kolodrubetz said he realized how badly Cambridge Hall in particular needed the renovations.
“The bathrooms are more outdated,” he said. “We have three showers in my bathroom, and there are pipes that leak constantly in all three showers.”
Kolodrubet said that his father, a university alumnus who also resided in the dorm, visited it recently and remarked, “This hasn’t changed much.”
“It definitely needs to be upgraded into the 21st century,” Kolodrubet said.
Carol Benedek, administrative assistant in the Cambridge Community, said she is “very excited” for this project.
“It’s going to be a beautiful new building with the same loving community,” Benedek said. “This community is a special community, and it’s nice that they’re updating it to match today’s time.”
