Holder renovations revamp basement area

Rockefeller College's Holder Hall, closed this academic year, will reopen next fall with a completely renovated interior.

As part of the larger dormitory renovation program, Holder's restorations are similar to those made in recent years to Witherspoon, Blair, Buyers and Little halls.

Among other major interior changes, Holder will feature an entirely redesigned basement.

"[We've] rethought the basements in terms of how they might function better for the residential colleges," said Facilities Department Project Manager David Howell.

The Rockefeller College office will be relocated to the former basement on the south side of the quad. To make the office more accessible, a ground-level entrance to Holder will be constructed between Joline and Holder halls.

The new Holder will have more common space, Assistant Director of Housing Lisa DePaul added in an email.

"[We're] getting rid of storage rooms [and] getting rid of old bathrooms, and with the extra space we've gained we'll add program space such as lounges, study rooms, improved laundry space," Howell said.

The redesign also incorporates a new multipurpose room and bathrooms that are more evenly distributed throughout the building.

In terms of student rooms, some of the old quads are being broken up into double and single rooms. While the first floor architecture will remain largely unchanged, there will be hallways between entryways on the second floor for fire safety reasons. To accommodate these hallways, most second floor rooms will become doubles.

The Holder renovations will reduce the building's net capacity by about 30 to 40 students. "We're not making it as crowded as it was before," Howell said.

Nevertheless, DePaul said the University "will have enough rooms to accommodate all undergraduate students on campus next year."

Hamilton Hall, which was also closed this year to help coordinate the construction in Holder, will remain closed next year for renovations of its own.

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After Hamilton is finished, Madison Hall, which houses the dining halls and common rooms for both Rockefeller and Mathey Colleges, will close for renovations. A phasing plan for the Madison renovations has yet to be developed.