In an attempt to move the university toward the two-year on-campus residency requirement and make new opportunities for first-year students, St. Thomas announced three renovation projects for the upper quad.
Students are left wondering how construction will get in the way of campus life.
“Freshman and sophomore year, I spent a lot of time on the upper quad,” junior Victoria Kucera said. “It will be interesting to have that space taken away from underclassmen because it is where a lot of students hang out.”
The three projects include interior renovations to Brady and Dowling halls, an expansion of St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel, and the addition of two new residence halls equipped with more parking, a dining hall and underground tunnels connecting this section of campus to the lower quad through Murray Herrick Center.
Chapel construction will start in May of 2019 and be completed by fall of 2020, Brady and Dowling Halls will be renovated over the course of two summers and the demolition of John Paul II Hall will take place.
“There will be a certain level of disruption,” said Aaron Macke, director of St. Thomas Residence Life. “I am hoping that as you are watching all of this go up, there are chills down your spine and excitement knowing that we are doing three major projects at once.”
Though portions of the campus will be closed off from students, director of the Office for Campus Ministry Rev. Larry Blake said that the construction will not interfere with Mass. The inside of the existing chapel will only be painted and have air conditioning installed this summer.
“It is a lot of construction so I’m curious to see how timely it is,” Kucera said. “I think that St. Thomas is good with getting things done but it is a matter of how it actually ends up turning out.”
By collecting student data from surveys throughout the years, university staff were able to gain a sense of what students wanted or preferred regarding their first-year campus experience.
The upper quad will house all of the first-year students among four halls (Brady, Ireland, Dowling and the new residence hall) in order to establish connections and foster an effective first-year experience.
Existing halls such as Murray, Grace and Cretin are being considered for potential second-year housing options or additional administrative space. Morrison and Flynn housing will remain the same.
“All of it coming together will create some engagement, interactive opportunities for students that we don’t have right now in the same way,” Macke said. “It gives this area of campus more purpose.”
Ava Diaz can be reached at diaz7981@stthomas.edu
I’m confused, but I’m pretty old. The caption says two dorms will be replaced, and the story says two new dorms will be built. John Paul II is one of those to be demolished, but the other one isn’t named. The story does say Ireland, Dowling and Brady, plus one of the two new dorms will house frosh. Two questions: Where’s the other new dorm (Upper quad? Doesn’t say.) and why is John Paul being torn down while Ireland Hall stays? J.P. too small, and Ireland is historic?
I was a resident of Dowling Hall from 1960-63, and my oldest daughter lived in John Paul II her freshman year, 1996-97.