Keene State College working on campus-wide renovations

The Elliot Center at Keene State College is among the buildings slated for an overhaul.

Over the course of the next few years, Keene State College will be completing multiple renovation projects around campus, some of which are planned to be finished as soon as August 2023.

The most notable renovations and improvements are being done to classrooms and campus buildings such as the Elliot Center, Spaulding Gymnasium and Redfern Arts Center, according to KSC President Melinda Treadwell. Other projects include the construction of an outdoor amphitheater in the area where the Bushnell Apartments stood.

Dorms will also see improvements. By August 2023, Holloway will have new bathrooms and shower facilities, with the inclusion of more non-binary bathrooms as well, according to Treadwell. Areas of Holloway will be repainted and the roofing will be redone as well.

Planning for renovations to “reconceptualize” Carle Hall is also underway, with construction set to start at the end of the Spring 2024 semester.

Treadwell said the plan is to open Carle Hall up to have larger common space areas and to re-do the bathrooms. “What can we do to make it more vibrant?” Treadwell continued, “In the building, pull people in.”

The way the building is laid out is confusing and does not give a sense of gathering, said Treadwell, noting that since she stayed in Carle Hall during her first year of college at KSC, it has not changed much.

“If we’re going to attract students, said Treadwell, residence halls have to “look more beautiful.”

In addition to dorm renovations, approximately 50 classrooms will be renovated. Treadwell said that the institution will be replacing desks with more flexible seating and movable tables. They will also be repainting and adding technology enhancements in some classrooms.

Elliot Hall will be facing a complete makeover as a part of an 18-month process, with planning beginning soon, Treadwell said.

Around 10 years ago, there were plans to make the Elliot Center a “hub where students have any of their service needs met, the Elliot Center becomes the physical place of that,” said Treadwell.

While the student center serves as a place for student activities, the Elliot Center would serve as a place for student support. While most of the departments are already within the building, it could be confusing to locate, Treadwell said. They are currently looking at updating the design of the Elliot Center and the building itself.

While they won’t be demolishing the entire building, Treadwell said, they will be replacing some of the old with new. Treadwell mentioned the want to keep the historical value and beauty of the building because it was once the city of Keene’s first hospital.

Since Joslin Hall, currently used as an academic space, is nearby, it is possible that the building will be incorporated in those renovations, Treadwell said.

There will also be changes made to the backside of the Spaulding Gymnasium. The stairs behind the gym will be redone and additional storage for organization will be added, Treadwell said.

Randall Hall and Monadnock Hall are also slated for demolition in August 2023. As of now, they are preparing the buildings for demolition, Treadwell noted.

The Blake House, a former KSC academic building, is also being abated, with plans to make two stories of classrooms for Antioch University. Treadwell added KSC will have some “specialized” classrooms with augmented reality and virtual reality technology, as well as vibration isolation classrooms. Those rooms would be mainly used for precision manufacturing and construction safety.

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