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As Boston College students get back to campus for the spring semester in January, they may be stoked for the completion of Stokes Hall and the newly renovated Gasson Hall, but a new construction project will soon be disrupting a new part of campus.
St. Mary's, the residence of the Jesuit community, will be closed for 24 months while the building undergoes renovations. The Board of Trustees approved the renovation project, which will include of "facelift" similar to Gasson's renovation and interior changes to allow the building to be used for academic space.
St. Mary's and Gasson 100 years ago.
Photo courtesy of Burns Library, Boston College/Flickr.
“Given its age, St. Mary’s Hall is in need of significant upgrades, including the building envelope and the building systems,” said Mary Nardone, associate vice president of capital projects management, in a press release.
“On the inside, the overall goal is to maintain the wonderful 'feel' of St. Mary’s on the first level, while upgrading the residential floors to improve functionality and efficiency," Nardone said. "On the outside, there is a need to replace the roof and windows as well as the cast stone, which is approximately three times the quantity of Gasson Hall. Once completed, the transformation of the exterior of the building will be just as stunning as it was for Gasson.
The second oldest building on campus, St. Mary's currently houses the Jesuit community, who have lived there for 95 years. Starting January 7, the Jesuits will begin to make their transition to a temporary residence: the 2000 Commonwealth Avenue apartment complex, according to a press release.
“As a Jesuit community, our religious and apostolic life is what matters most to us,” said T. Frank Kennedy, S.J., Canisius Professor of Music and rector of the Jesuit community, in the press release.
“We no longer needed all of the space we had once occupied in St. Mary’s, but we realized the value of living on campus and supporting the mission of the University through our presence and service,” said Kennedy. “We said we would be happy to stay in a building that has hosted the Jesuits since 1917—with the exception of World War II when the community left to provide housing for soldiers—if it was possible, and the University has made it possible.”
When the building reopens in January 2015, it will house the Communication and Computer Science departments, and the Woods College of Advancing Studies. The building and surrounding area will be fenced off during the project.
Cover photo courtesy of altont1/Flickr
Meghan is a member of the class of 2013 from Cape Elizabeth, Maine. She is a Political Science major and Faith Peace and Justice minor. She joined the Gavel her sophomore year and has been an editorial assistant, News Editor, and Managing Editor. She spent her junior spring semester studying abroad in Granada, Spain. She enjoys writing political stories and covering campus events for the Gavel.
