Adeline Trammell, Staff Writer
Our beloved Whitney Hall is getting a makeover for the 2024 school year, but what exactly is being changed? Nathan Osteberger, the Beloit Facilities Director, had all the answers.
Whitney Hall is being renovated for a variety of reasons, one of the main ones being the age of the building. It was built in 1964 along with Porter, Blaisdell, Bushnell, and Peet. “The current thought was to bring up the poorest living conditions first,” Nathan says, “so that would be the ‘64s.” Peet was considered for renovations, however it isn’t centrally located like Whitney is.
So what are the main renovations being done? Nathan says that some of the work is behind the scenes and uninteresting. However, some big differences will be noticeable to students.
One of the main focuses is improving accessibility and changing communal-style bathrooms into singles. The second floor of Whitney currently has a community-style restroom, that will be changed into two-to-three single stalls with ADA-accessible amenities.
Another important and necessary change is the air circulation. “What we’re gonna do is actually pull the air handler out of the basement and we’re going to put it on the roof of the building.” This should hopefully address the mold and dampness problems that are all too common in Beloits dorms.
The furniture will get upgraded, with the renderings including Minecraft birch plank-colored furniture. The old furniture will be donated, Nathan assured me, to a community organization that supports domestic violence survivors trying to get back on their feet.
Whitney’s room and hallway plans also include new lighting and a fresh coat of paint, along with the removal of the carpet. The carpet removal is to accommodate Emotional Support Animals or ESAs, as, “rooms with carpet, if the animal has an accident, we basically have ruined that room.” So new vinyl plank flooring is coming, and no more cat piss smell!
In the communal spaces, upgrades are also coming. The first-floor gaming lounge won’t be changed, however, the main lounge will have an added wall to separate the vending machines from the sitting area. There will also be study rooms added to the first floor where old offices are now, in a similar style to the study rooms found in the Powerhouse. This renovation also supports plans for potential future renovations, with the possibility of a stairwell being converted to an elevator. This would make the second and third floors ADA-accessible, too.
These renovations are planned to be finished by the end of summer. However, construction always has its setbacks and there’s a chance that students who are going to live in Whitney will have to spend a couple days in Peet waiting for renovations to finish. However, Nathan says that the construction company will be working “basically 24 hours a day, 7 days a week throughout the summer,” so the dorm will be ready for move-in by August.
I’m excited for Whitney to be the sexy new hotspot on campus, and the upcoming lack of makes me want to move in myself!
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