Renovations to High Rises on schedule

As the summer ticks away, crews are working steadily to complete one of the most visible construction projects on campus this summer -- renovations to both Hamilton and Harrison College Houses.

"This is an extremely ambitious schedule, but we are meeting it very successfully," former College Houses and Academic Services director David Brownlee said.

The projects are part of an $80 million plan to renovate all three high rises in a six-year time frame, approved by the University's Board of Trustees in February 2002.

Each high rise will cost approximately $26.5 million to complete.

"Everything is still on budget," Coordinator of Communications and Assessment for Housing and Conference Services Amanda Bednar said.

Work on the buildings got underway shortly after finals ended and should continue throughout the summer.

The transformation of Hamilton, including new windows, new public spaces and new furniture, should be complete by August, according to administrators.

"For so many years, people tried to hide what the high rises are," College Houses and Academic Services Director Phil Nichols said. Instead, he added, these plans are intended to "really build on the fact that these are kind of neat-looking skyscrapers."

Residents returning to Hamilton in the fall should find all windows have been replaced. Additionally, each room will be fitted with an new air conditioning unit, and be repainted with an "accent wall" of a different color.

Furniture will also be updated, as couches are re-upholstered and new items are brought in. The new furniture was selected based on feedback from four sample student rooms that were open for viewing last fall.

"The majority of the pieces of furniture in each student room will be replaced with a really quite dazzling set of classic modern design furniture," Brownlee said.

Indoor public spaces will also see noticeable changes, including a redesigned lobby that will feature a fire place, new floors and "brighter, lighter materials," according to Brownlee. Other public spaces, including a library, music practice rooms and an exercise room will also be unveiled.

"The transformation is very great, and I think students who return in the fall will be astonished," Brownlee said.

Meanwhile, the first phase of construction on neighboring Harrison has begun. This summer, cement exteriors will be repaired while new interior sprinkling systems are installed. Although Hamilton's renovations required that new elevators be installed, Harrison's elevators will not be replaced.

"Those elevators are actually only about six years old," Brownlee said. "We clearly have problems with elevator maintenance, but there's nothing wrong with them. They're not outdated."

Plans for completing Harrison next summer should be similar to those for Hamilton, though administrators say it will likely include more common rooms. Like the light green-tinted sealant that was applied to Hamilton, a similar sealant will be applied to Harrison, though it will likely be another color.

In order to accommodate the additional public spaces being created in Hamilton, administrative offices for College Houses and Academic Services as well as Housing and Conference Services were relocated in April from the first floor of Hamilton to Stouffer Commons.

"That space is going to be really important community spaces and the high rises, goodness knows, need community space," Nichols said.

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