Amanda Crouse
News Editor
The week before spring break, the Voice, along with members of Scot Council, went on a tour of Compton Hall amidst renovations. Project Manager Jim Wright led the tour.
Compton will be able to house 158 students throughout 12 single rooms, 47 double rooms, 11 triple rooms and two “quads,” which will each be equipped with a kitchenette. The building’s fourth-floor attic, which was previously uninsulated, is being turned into living space with 19 new rooms. Bathrooms in Compton have been designed in a “pod” style; a group of bathrooms will comprise four pods, which will each contain a toilet, sink and shower. A sink will be installed outside the four pods for ease of access in hand-washing or brushing teeth. Wright said that the design came in response to requests from students for more privacy in dormitory bathrooms.
During the demolition and stripping process, the team discovered that the original hardwood floors — which had previously been covered by carpeting — are in great condition, and as such they will not be replaced.
One of the bigger changes is a move toward ADA compliance. The new elevator (which will be installed in the former location of the Compton piano room) is a traction elevator that will be able to move to precise levels within a single floor, allowing individuals with wheelchairs or other assistive devices to access parts of the floor that are elevated by a few feet. On the other side of the building, a ramp is being built. The ramp will occupy around the same amount of square footage as a small room, and will snake upward in a half-loop.
The former sacred space location will become storage. A new sacred space is being constructed on the patio side of the left wing of the building. A visual mock-up of the finished space contains a bench, an ablution area and directional indicators on the walls so that students can discern their position in the room.
Similar to Douglass Hall, Compton’s rooms will have cubbies for personal storage in each room. When the tour took place in early March, only the skeletons of the walls had been built, but Wright said that the team expected to make a lot of progress during spring break.
In the basement, the common area, kitchen and laundry room will be rebuilt in the same locations as before the demolition. Wright promised that an ice machine is included in plans for the kitchen, and the fireplace would not be removed. For common space furniture, Wright said that he has been collaborating with a group of students to decide on interior color scheme and decor choices.
