On November 18th, Jason Doyle, the director for facilities planning, construction, and real estate at the University of Redlands updated the university community on the remodeling of Anderson Hall. According to Doyle, when the hall reopens in August 2023, students can expect air conditioning, upgraded fire and life-safety systems, new suite bathrooms, enhanced interior finishes, new furniture, new windows, new roofing, fresh exterior paint, landscaping, walkway improvements, updated patio spaces, and improvements in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Anderson Hall was first built in 1955 and is the largest residence hall on campus. It also remains one of the last halls without air conditioning. Given that the last renovation of Anderson Hall took place in the 1970s, Doyle explained that the university decided to renovate after securing bond financing for capital improvements. The renovation of Anderson Hall is currently the largest project among those intended to improve facilities around campus.
“We want to spruce [Anderson Hall] up, make it more modern and inviting,” Doyle responded after being asked what the university’s goal is in renovating the hall.
Doyle explained in depth what students can expect from the new hall, including a complete renovation and interior update of the common spaces. Laundry rooms will be installed on each floor, and new fencing around the back patio will create a more private and usable outdoor space for students. The university also intends to repaint the exterior in a new color scheme to better reflect the quad, and to redo the landscaping outside Anderson Hall to include more drought-tolerant plants and greenery.
“I think students are really going to like what we have planned,” Doyle concluded.
So far, the project has not yet broken ground. According to Doyle, the final design for the hall is expected to finish up this Fall, and plans for renovation have been submitted to the City of Redlands for review. So long as there are no delays in the review process or construction, the university plans to begin the demolition of Anderson’s interior in December. By January, Doyle hopes to begin the bulk of construction to ensure that the renovations are complete by Fall 2023. As of now, Doyle assures that students can expect the hall to be open for residence at the start of the Fall 2023 semester.
Though the University of Redlands currently only has concrete plans to renovate Anderson Hall, Doyle said the next halls to be renovated will be those without air conditioning.
Photo by Photo Editor Kyle Eaton.
