Harrington Hall will receive the first round of renovations on STU campus. The type of renovation and when they will be completed has not been decided.
STU spokesperson Jeffrey Carleton said he did not want to comment because the Residence Renewal Steering Committee is still reviewing recommendations and the details are not locked down yet.
An internal memorandum sent out on Friday to faculty and staff by President Dawn Russell asked for consultations for the 2015-16 budget. One of the items was the Harrington Hall renovation.
“We are also making plans to refurbish our older residences beginning with Harrington Hall,” the memo said.
“We know from having conducted a conditions assessment in 2013 of our older residences (Harrington Hall, Vanier Hall and Holy Cross House) that the estimated cost of maintaining these three facilities for their current use is $9 million. The intent of the renewal is to address these needs over time, with Harrington hall being the first phase.”
Harrington Hall was built in 1964 as an all-male residence.
House president Johanna Reid is on the committee making recommendations for renovations. It met five times last semester, but she hasn’t heard anything about it since.
Reid asked Harrington Hall residents what they wanted to see for a possible renovation.
“Most said the rooms are too small, slow Internet and the bathrooms,” said the second-year student.
Reid said the renovations are a good idea because of how old the building is.
“A lot of people’s heaters don’t work so they are cold.”
Reid said if administration decides to do certain renovations it’s possible residents would be misplaced next year.
“If they want to do a complete re-wiring, then people will have to move out. But it all depends on the type of renovation they decide to do. Nothing has been decided yet.”
Harrington Hall resident and second-year student Nathan DeLong said the bathrooms are small and outdated.
“With the older plumbing, you have to yell ‘shower’ if someone’s using the shower when you’re about to flush a toilet. If you flush without letting them know, the water in the shower gets pretty hot for a quick few seconds.”
He also said the urinals don’t always work and the stalls are small.
Other residents said they would like to see a kitchen facility and better, new furniture.
One suggestion is to have the Vanier building split into Vanier Hall and Harrington hall wings for a year. Both wings would be co-ed while Holy Cross would become the residence for female students.
