New Few

Last spring the university launched a project to renovate Few Quadrangle on West Campus. Just seven months later, the dormitory opened on time for students to move in for the spring semester.

Intended mainly to upgrade the interior infrastructure of the brownstone building, renovations included an overhaul of the electrical and air-conditioning systems. New sprinkler systems and smoke detectors were added; bathrooms were gutted and rebuilt. Hallways will now be brighter and safer, and student rooms will be equipped with more electrical connections to accommodate modern appliances and enable greater connectivity to information technology. Common rooms were relocated and fitted with amenities like games and flat-screen televisions, with the goal of facilitating interactions among students. The building's handicap accessibility also was improved.

Administrators sought to maintain the traditional Gothic look and feel of the dorm, built in 1938, with most changes taking place inside the walls. Total cost of the project is estimated at $25 million.