The first dorm on North Campus is more than halfway through its renovations, Residential Facilities Director Jon Dooley said.
The renovations to Cambridge Hall, which houses part of the College Park Scholars Program, are 60 percent completed and are scheduled to be finished in July of this year, said Bill Olen, director of capital projects.
After more than 50 years, the building will receive air conditioning, a new HVAC system, LED lighting, new windows, new bathrooms, larger study lounges and updates to the bedrooms, Olen said. So far, the majority of windows have been replaced and work on the roof and bathrooms should be completed shortly, he added.
“Residents criticized high-rises in the past for a lack of air conditioning,” Dooley said. “For that reason, air conditioning is really the number one improvement but is followed closely by energy improvements including windows and insulated walls.”
Cambridge Hall is the first dorm on which renovation spanned an academic year and was closed to students rather than over the summer, Dooley said.
“We found that during the high-rise renovations, it was more cost effective to close the dorm for a year than having that work done over several summers,” Olen said. “We couldn’t do this type of major work if we were trying to do it over the summer, there just isn’t enough time.”
Seven out of the 11 North Campus dorms are currently air-conditioned, Dooley said. After Cambridge is completed, Ellicott, Hagerstown and Chestertown halls will be the only dorms left without air conditioning on North Campus.
The basement of Cambridge will also have five study rooms, which will serve as a study or social space for residents, said Laura Tan, Resident Life assistant director.
“There is more common space whether you want to socialize with other students or have private study time that you don’t want to do in your bedroom,” Olen said. “For one of our older buildings on-campus, the renovation will give students what we have in newer buildings such as Prince Frederick or Oakland.”
However, larger lounges or study spaces on the upper floors will also result in a loss of bedroom space, Olen said. Before the renovations, Cambridge was able to house 234 students, but after will be able to house 204, Tan said.
In addition, the renovations will also comply with the American Disabilities Act standards, Dooley said. Bedrooms and bathrooms constructed with these standards are larger than customary.
The dorm will have seven ADA bedrooms on each of the three upper floors, as well as one ADA bathroom stall and shower in each community bathroom, Olen said.
The renovation of Cambridge is the first in a long list of updates that will occur in future years, according to the 2014 On-Campus Student Housing Strategic Plan. There are 16 other buildings scheduled for updates in coming years, Dooley said.
Dorchester Hall is the next dorm scheduled for renovations, which should be completed in August 2017, according to the strategic plan. This plan for renovation has been submitted for approval to the University System of Maryland, and if approved the decision would come in May, Dooley said.
