Amanda Crouse
News Editor
The Voice staff took a tour of Compton Hall on Friday, Sept. 11, to see progress made in its renovation over the summer. Jim Wright, facilities project manager for the College, led the tour.
Compton is still on track to reopen before fall 2027, and will serve primarily as first-year housing. Since the Voice’s last update in May, facilities staff have finished installing drywall throughout most of the building. Some of the rooms and hallways on the first, second and third floors have been painted a light gray color. A number of rooms in Compton will also have a darker gray accent wall. Wright stated that feedback from students indicated a preference for soft paint colors over the brighter shades used during the 2025 renovation of Douglass Hall.
Many rooms on the building’s fourth floor –– which was constructed from an attic level –– have yet to be painted. The purple hue of some walls is the color of the drywall, which will be covered by paint before the building reopens.
“The residence hall lower level will feature epoxy flooring, which provides a durable, seamless surface well-suited for high-traffic areas,” Wright said. “Student rooms and corridors will have luxury vinyl tile (LVT), offering a more residential feel while standing up well to everyday use.”
In the basement, walls designating kitchen space, storage and restrooms have been added, and the original stone fireplace was maintained. Also in progress is a multi-purpose studio space, which Wright described as a “flexible space that can support activities such as fitness classes, yoga, wellness programming, student organization events, and other group activities.”
The Q Space, an LGBTQ+ inclusive and affirming space, will also be housed in the basement, in the same location it occupied prior to the renovations.
To improve accessibility, Compton will also be fitted with a ramp and a traction elevator, which can bring passengers from ground level to the elevated wings on the first floor.
“The next major phases of the project include completing interior finishes, installing furniture and equipment, and preparing the building for occupancy,” Wright said.
