University renovation of several dorms to begin this summer

Lora Robins Court, Lakeview Hall, Robins Hall, Atlantic House and Pacific House will undergo renovation during the summer of 2019.

The University of Richmond Office of Residence Life and Undergraduate Student Housing considers everything from student input to national trends to summer schedules when deciding on renovations. Renovations must also be approved by the Board of Trustees, said Patrick Benner, director of residence life and undergraduate student housing.

When asked how the university decides which buildings should be renovated next, Benner said: “We look at it in order. Which building has seen the most recent work? Which building is in more need of an upgrade? So we look to those, and we outline major projects throughout the years and try to think systematically.”

Lora Robins will have the greatest renovation, with the restructuring of the C-ground areas to include a classroom, laminate wood flooring in all rooms, a roof replacement and bathroom upgrades.

The changes to Lora Robins will be similar to those made last summer to Gray Court, Benner said.

Taylor Hoogsteden, junior, lived in Lora Robins her freshman year. Hoogsteden was excited to hear about the addition of a classroom to the building. 

"I remember kind of wishing that we did have a classroom in LoRo just cause it was kind of hard sometimes, like if I wanted to do work in the dorms but not necessarily in my dorm room, there wasn’t really a place to go," she said. "It would be really nice that they’re going to have that now. I think it’s really important to have a spot like that."

Hoogsteden believes that the incoming first-year students will appreciate these renovations. 

"I’m a little bummed that it’s happening after I moved out but I think what they’re doing is really important," she said. "I think they’ll love the floors. I think that’s something I would’ve appreciated when I moved into LoRo."

Lakeview, Robins Hall, Atlantic and Pacific will undergo minor upgrades, Benner said. 

These include new paint and laminate flooring in Lakeview and restroom improvements in Atlantic and Pacific. This will be the first update in Lakeview since its construction in 2006.

Robins Hall will begin phase one of its reconstruction, beginning with window replacement and a new heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) and Clean-Air system. Further renovations are anticipated to be done the summer of 2021, Benner said, but these next phases are subject to change.

The HVAC and Clean-Air system will increase filtration and prevent the accumulation of moisture, and should help with the mold complaints various students have had, Benner said.

Junior Nicolette Romley has lived in Robins Hall during both her sophomore year and this spring semester. She thought that renovations to Robins should have happened years ago. 

"Robins definitely needs the most interior renovations out of any dorm," Romley said. "They’re one of the only dorms that still has the gross carpets that haven’t been replaced in years, and the bathrooms in Robins are all different, they’re all old and clearly have not been touched in awhile. I think those should’ve been redone a few years ago."

Benner mentioned a pause in renovations for Robins Hall during the summer of 2020.

“It’s our last traditional-style upperclassmen hall,” Benner said. “But we are going to take a break from major renovations next summer [2020] because there’s a very large camp-conference contingency that will be consuming all of our beds.” 

Because of this interruption in work, more minor renovations will be carried out in Robins during phase one of the renovation this summer, Benner said.

Contact news writer Logan Etheredge at logan.etheredge@richmond.edu.