When reminiscing about their time at Syracuse University’s Shaw Hall, Taylor Cartwright and Daniel Kim always remember one thing: the bathrooms.

Cartwright, a sophomore advertising major, said she remembers the old, “gross” tile falling off the bathroom ceiling.

Kim, a junior finance major who enjoyed his time in Shaw overall, said he will never forget the constant clogging of the showers.

But students living in Shaw this year will probably not have the same memories as Cartwright and Kim. SU updated the facilities, specifically the bathrooms, at Shaw and Sadler halls this summer, said Eric Beattie, director of the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction.

The renovations at Shaw consisted of transforming the residence hall’s old-style bathrooms to new, single-occupant bathrooms and refurbishing some of the bedrooms next to the new bathrooms, he said.

The single-occupant bathrooms installed in other residence halls, such as Lawrinson Hall and the SkyHalls, have been very popular with students, he said.

Next year, SU will focus on modernizing the remaining bedrooms, corridors and lobbies at Shaw, Beattie said.

A new entrance to Shaw will be built on Euclid Avenue as part of the second phase of the project next summer, allowing for a better flow and connection between the dining facility at the center of the building and the residential areas, Beattie said.

A new elevator will be built on the Comstock Avenue side of Shaw, helping improve vertical access in the building, said Sara Miller, associate director of SU News Services, in an email.

Jessica Alessandra, a senior advertising major, described Shaw as the “stereotypical college dorm.”

“It absolutely drove me nuts that I couldn’t use the elevator during the day because of the dining hall,” Alessandra said. “I lived on the fourth floor, so I was constantly having to walk up and down four floors.”

The changes made to Sadler this summer were primarily bathroom renovations. By next summer, all of them will be completed, Beattie said.

Other improvements to Sadler are currently being considered, such as expanding the dining facility to accommodate more people, he said.

Elise DeLoy, a senior television, radio and film major who once lived in Sadler, believes that plumbing at the residence hall needs to take priority.

“The bathrooms were always pretty gross, and the plumbing was very old. The showers would run out of hot water, and there didn’t seem to be enough of them,” DeLoy said. “I hope they fix the bathroom plumbing so hot water is available to everyone.”

SU is currently in the process of updating and renovating all of its residence halls. Each year, a few are selected for improvements. The specific halls are chosen based on condition and availability during the summer, Beattie said.

The design process takes place about a year in advance, starting the spring or summer before construction actually begins. The Office of Housing, Meal Plan and I.D. Card Services; the Office of Residence Life; and the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction all provide input about needed improvements, Beattie said.

“The projects are usually put out to bid around January so that contractors can order materials and coordinate the work in advance,” Beattie said. “The summer construction season is very short, and there is little room for error.”

In addition, FIXit and the Department of Public Safety were active participants in planning the renovations for Shaw and Sadler, said Bill Longcore, associate director of the Office of Residence Life, in an email.

“Students were not specifically involved in the Shaw conversation, but students’ feedback from other projects involving similar improvements were part of the discussion,” Longcore said. “The new bathrooms in Shaw were part of earlier renovations in Lyons, Flint and Lawrinson halls, to which students have responded very favorably.”

mhnewman@syr.edu

Published on August 21, 2012 at 9:09 pm

Contact Meredith: mhnewman@syr.edu | @MerNewman93