It’s time to renovate Suffolk University’s oldest residence hall. Roderick Waters, director of Residence Life and Housing, said all of the suite furniture in the building will be replaced, along with the carpet on the 11th floor. Located in the heart of downtown on Boston’s Tremont Street, 150 is the only residence hall being worked on this summer.
“This will be a gradual replacement of carpet over a few years,” he said. Carpet will be replaced with carpet tiles, making them easier to replace when they are stained. Because the 10 West residence hall does not have a cafeteria, oftentimes many of the students choose to eat at 150 Tremont due to proximity. Also considered the most social of the Suffolk dorms, 150 sees a lot of student foot traffic, making easy carpet replacement a priority. However, with the exception of the suite furniture replacements on all floors, there are no renovations scheduled this summer for other public areas of the building.
150 Tremont was Suffolk University’s first residence hall. With 60 percent of incoming students housed in the Tremont dorm, most of the residents are in their first year at Suffolk. Facing the Boston Common, it is also one of the most readily visible of the university’s buildings.
Waters said it has been 15 years since 150 Tremont was first opened as a residence hall. As a result, it may require more comprehensive renovations than other dorms. With the majority of incoming freshmen residing in the Tremont dorms, it is important they feel comfortable in their new home. Students will now have new suite furniture in their living quarters, and students on the 11th floor will have new carpeting to walk on. So, who decides which renovations take place?
“An assessment is done each year and recommendations are made by the director of Residence Life & Housing for capitol projects,” said Waters. He added that lounge furniture had been replaced last year. Work order requests, along with the room condition reports completed by the RA and residence life staff members, also influence decisions to renovate, according to Waters.
With these restorations strongly benefitting the students, housing costs fortunately will not increase this year. After the recent Modern Theatre addition to the 10 West residence hall, no additions will be made to that building this summer. The students attending orientation will be staying in 10 West while 150 Tremont undergoes renovation.
The university will continue to improve its residence halls in the upcoming years as recommendations are made for improvement, including the plans to gradually replace the carpet in 150 Tremont. It is very unlikely that students will spend more than two years living on the Suffolk campus, so it is important the time they spend in the residential care of the university is clean and comfortable.
