By Josh Siatkowski | Staff Writer
This summer, Baylor’s plan to renovate 10 residence halls around campus will be complete. With over a decade of work and $200 million of investment, the projects have brought new life to a number of living communities, many of which were constructed before 1960.
The consecutive renovations began with the 2015 update of North and South Russell Halls, followed by work on the nearby Penland Hall the following year. Renovations continued in the all-men’s Martin Hall in 2017, with the all-women’s counterpart of Collins being completed in 2023. The Historic Memorial and Alexander Halls of the Honors Residential College finished their facelift in 2024. Dawson and Allen, both built in the 1950s, are the most recent to be upgraded, reopening last fall.
And finally, upon Kokernot Hall’s anticipated completion this July, the university will finish the plans it set back in 2013. With part of the construction budget now freed up for other projects, it opens up the question of what’s coming next for projects across campus. While there is no confirmed plan for a similarly connected string of renovations, Vice President for Student Life Dr. Sharra Hynes alluded to future projects in a September interview.
“All of the halls that were built before 1960, after this cycle of refurbishment, will have been renovated,” Hynes said. “And we have somewhat jokingly and somewhat realistically said that once we finish, all things will likely begin anew again.”
Hynes also said that although it’s very early, there has been conversation about updating the SUB.
“Specifically with regard to the Bill Daniel Student Center, we have worked with our facility colleagues to do some scoping of what renovations might look like,” Hynes said. “And as opportunities become available for donor support and for capacity within the institutional budget and our debt capacity, we’ll keep entertaining that amid every other institutional priority.”
While she didn’t connect potential SUB plans to any larger plan for upgrading other non-academic buildings, like Moody Library or the McLane Student Life Center, Hynes also said academic buildings are being watched.
“Our academic facilities also need attention,” Hynes said. “Classrooms need to be improved. So we’re trying to be mindful of all of the spaces and places on campus where our students and our faculty and staff spend time.”
For students reaping the benefits of the residence hall renovations, thankfully none of the current campus spots seem as in need of attention as their recently completed living spaces. Weatherford junior Kaili Norris, who has lived in the 70-year-old Dawson Hall before and after its renovation, said that although older buildings like Carroll Science could use “cleaning up,” their charm still seems to outweigh the issues.
“I like the character in the old buildings,” Norris said. “I would hate to see something knocked down for something brand new.”
What Norris and her friends would like to see, however, is parking. Often a pain point for students, Norris said there are times that even with her parking pass, she is unable to find a spot.
“I would like to see more parking garages,” Norris said. “Everyone I talk to, whether they live off campus or on campus, is always like, ‘Parking is so hard.’”
