Less than one year after Penn put the finishing touches on renovations to the outside of its three high-rise dorms, it has begun to refurbish their interiors. Although recent repairs to the exteriors and lobbies of Harrison, Harnwell, and Rodin [formerly Hamilton] college houses softened their bleak facades and created more inviting entrances, persistent problems with the buildings’ general infrastructure and dorm rooms have led the University to continue making improvements. The upgrades, taking place over four years at a cost of $106.5 million, will include advanced heating and air-conditioning systems, improved electrical and mechanical elements, flooring replacements, and brighter hallway lighting. Students will also enjoy improved kitchens and bathrooms in their apartment-style dorms.
“We are challenged by buildings that have been around for a very long time, but we anticipate that this renewal project will make our college houses competitive with the best housing the area has to offer,” said Penn President Amy Gutmann.
Dvorit Mausner, a residential adviser in Harrison College House, welcomes the renovations. “People have to feel confident in their living environment before they can do their school work productively,” she says.
Harnwell House will be the first high-rise to undergo renovations, beginning this summer. Students returning there in the fall will find not only infrastructural improvements, but also new lounges built on alternating floors.
—Jennifer Nath C’08
