As many students on Le Moyne’s campus may have noticed, one of the freshman and sophomore dorms, St. Mary’s, underwent a little bit of a renovation this summer. The dorm building is one of the oldest on campus, which is noticeable in the cracked concrete walls and outdated floors in the dorm rooms.

This year, however, the change has begun, and the updating of St. Mary’s may help the dorm in use for  years to come. This past summer, the first floor of St. Mary’s was completely renovated. What used to be offices and classrooms, are now dorm rooms for the 18 girls that currently live on the floor.

Joanna Young, area director of both Harrison and St. Mary’s, stated that the transformation began May 23, just after students left for the summer, and continued until mid-August. This did prevent some students to be allowed to arrive early..

Looking at the dorms on this floor, it is beyond noticeable the time and work that went into them.  Young also expressed that the new rooms have all new furniture, which include a desk and wardrobe, as well as lofted beds with brand new mattresses. The rooms have wall to wall carpeting, which lead up to dry-walled walls, and they are finished off with air conditioning.

Even though the air conditioning may be seen as a luxury by those on campus that do not have it, the windows on the floor cannot be opened. The bathrooms on the floor are also full private bathrooms, as two are provided per hallway.

Both hallways of dorms lead out to the new modern looking lounge provided with a few new couches, a table, and a big screen TV.

“These dramatic changes have cost an approximate $800,000,” stated Jed Schneider, the Assistant Vice President for facilities management and planning. The money that has been put into the renovation is evident, while walking through these new hallways and new rooms.

In spite of all of the money and time put forth so far, more renovations are still in the future for St. Mary’s.

“They are in the works of doing the second, third, fourth and fifth floors this coming summer, so it should be done next fall when the students return,” said Area director Joanna Young.

She continued to say how the plan is to have lounges on every other floor eventually.  Young explained that St. Mary’s dorm is identical to Dablon, so in order to create these lounges, two double rooms would be removed.

Schneider also explained that the “preliminary estimate for the final phase is $3.5 million,” as the process is still so new that the design is still underway. Time will tell what changes the rest of the floors will undergo, but by the sound of it, St. Mary’s could be the new coveted dorm on Le Moyne’s campus.