A Major Renovation Will Rejuvenate a Grand Old Building
MIT’s Building W1 will resurface in the fall of 2010 as a third entity, an undergraduate residence hall, after it receives a major upgrade beginning later this year. During the renovation the former hotel turned graduate residence will have its infrastructure upgraded with new mechanical systems that are energy efficient and sustainable. Inside areas will be renovated and architectural features will be restored. In addition, the iconography of the building will be retained with appropriate choices made in the furniture, lighting and fixtures that will go inside the building.
When the building first opened in 1901 as the Riverbank Court it was a hotel with apartments destined to create a new Back Bay in Cambridge. The new residential neighborhood never caught on but the hotel stayed in business until the late 1930’s when MIT purchased it and converted it into a residence hall for graduate students. The students of Graduate Residence moved in September of 1939. Their first housemaster was Avery Ashdown who lived there until 1961. Following his death the building was named in his honor in 1966. Currently under construction at MIT is a new graduate residence hall, NW35, that will carry both the name and traditions of Ashdown House when it opens this fall.
W1 consists of approximately 160,000 sq.ft. in seven stories. When finished, the renovated building will provide living quarters for approximately 460 undergraduate students. In addition, plans for the building include addressing the needs of the MIT undergraduate residential life program such as graduate tutor, residential scholar and residential life apartments, House Master and Associate House Master suites and common dining areas to encourage interactivity among the residents. Other space will be developed for student life activity.
The building’s footprint was created in an “H” shape around an internal courtyard on the south side and an entry portico on the north. Landscaping enhancements for the courtyard will add outdoor activity areas to gather and enjoy.
As with other construction projects, the Institute’s environmental goals include applying for LEED Certification for this renovation. The LEED Silver rating will be a minimum target goal and will be achieved by the design of energy efficient mechanical systems, lighting and window options, selection of sustainable finish materials and good practices utilized during construction.
A Founders Group, appropriately named “Phoenix”, has been charged by the Dean of Residential Life to work with the Housing Office and Department of Facilities in the programming of the building. Members of the group attended an all day meeting with MIT’s senior leaders, Housing and Facilities staff to start the effort. Minutes from the meeting, a list of members of the group, as well as photos of the event indicate that the collaboration is moving in the right direction.
Construction is scheduled to begin in September, 2008, with completion anticipated for students arriving for the fall semester of 2010.
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