Freeman renovations lead to problems

By Taylor Engelson

Collegian Reporter

Some residents of Freeman Hall believe its speedy renovation was too good to be true. Since students have moved back on campus, several problems and inconsistencies have risen.

The lack of peepholes on the doors was one of the first complaints that Gina LeBlanc, head resident assistant, received on move-in day. Parents and students were concerned that this was a safety hazard, LeBlanc said.

"Everyone is more paranoid since the incident at Virginia Tech," she said.

Some of the women don't feel safe opening their doors because it makes them uncomfortable not knowing who is on the other side, she said.

"You don't want to open your door on a Saturday night," sophomore Kayla Repp said.

In addition, many rooms do not have mirrors, which is more of an aesthetic problem, LeBlanc said. The carpenter shop is working to correct both situations, University Architect Andrew McBride said.

It seems as if each room in Freeman is different and has had to deal with different problems, LeBlanc said. For instance, in one of the suites, one light switch controlled every light in the suite, she said. In another room, the air conditioning unit started leaking onto a resident's bed.

"My roommate's bed was basically ruined," said sophomore Caroline Vincent, who woke up in the middle of the night to help her roommate wash and dry her comforter.

Also, Vincent said her bathroom didn't lock and the sticky tabs that were given out to put posters up fell off the walls and peeled off paint.

"I think they were in a rush and didn't think about certain things," she said. "There are a lot of things that go into living comfortably that you don't think about until you don't have them."

One suite in particular has had several problems.

"This was probably the last room done," said sophomore Jessica Bailey, who lives with Jessie Pascarelli, Repp and Kaileigh Connolly.

The biggest problems have occurred in the bathroom, Pascarelli said. First, the sink caved in to the cabinet below it, she said. Then, the showerhead fell while one of the roommates was showering. Repp said it seemed as if there were a lot of safety hazards in the room. In addition, the screen on the window fell off and the phone does not work, Bailey said.

"It looks really nice, but little things have fallen apart," Repp said.

But, the benefits of living in Freeman outweigh the problems that Pascarelli and her roommates have dealt with, Pascarelli said.

"The things that are wrong don't make it not worth living here," Pascarelli said. "They did so much that turned out well," Bailey said.

For instance, she said she loves the design of the desks and the fact that the beds have springs, she said. The roommates definitely wouldn't want to live anywhere else, Bailey said.

In addition to specific problems that certain rooms have been dealing with, there are some issues that affect all of the residents in Freeman. One of these is the unfinished basement and the lack of a card swipe on the vending machines, Bailey said.

"It seems like they took on too many construction projects, got everything done, but needed more time," she said.

Another inconvenience is the fact that there is only one washer and dryer on each floor. But McBride said this is because space was limited and the architect was directed to put at least one set on each floor, as opposed to several sets just in the basement.

"I have heard that this is an issue and we are trying to determine if any more can be added," McBride said.

"To put things in perspective, this project was not just a renovation like we have done in the past, but a re-configuration transforming an old-style dormitory into a suite-style residence hall with bathrooms shared by three or four suitemates.

"Personally, I am amazed that that amount of work was able to be accomplished in such a short time frame."

Although there have been "kinks in the system," Le Blanc said she believed that Freeman Hall was still one of the best residence halls at Richmond and that it was comparable to Lakeview.

"This is definitely one of the most illustrious dorms to be living in on campus," she said.

Contact staff writer Taylor Engelson at taylor.engelson@richmond.edu