Summer renovations to improve campus facilities and student experiences

Four Elon facilities, including Smith Residence Hall and the second floor of Moseley Student Center, are set to undergo summer renovations beginning May 24. 

The Moseley Center second floor renovation was a project planned before Schar Communications was built in 2016 and will finally be taking place this summer, according to Dean of Student Development Jodean Schmiederer. The floor will be remodeled, making it easier to navigate and creating more student lounge areas. 

“The changes will sort of eliminate some of the maze,” Schmiederer said. “We expect that students that are usually in our offices will be able to hang out in that community area.” 

According to Schmiederer, the more open layout will make the space more suitable for student collaboration and, in turn, help Elon’s campus regain a sense of community.

“This has been a tough year,” Schmiederer said. “One of the things we struggle with is a sense of community and a sense of being together, and this renovation will make more space in our offices as well as in the community spaces for us to all engage with each other.” 

Director of Planning, Design and Construction Management Brad Moore said the biggest change coming to Smith Hall is renovating the bathrooms. The bathrooms will remain communal, but the new renovations will create individual “pods” or stalls similar to the East Neighborhood. 

Moore said sinks will also be built in the hallways of Smith for easier access for residents. 

“If you just need to brush your teeth or grab some water to make tea or something, you don't have to find the open bathing compartment,” Moore said. “You can just go directly to those sinks along the hall.”

While last summer’s renovations focused on arranging classrooms to fit COVID-19 safety guidelines, this summer Elon’s Construction Management team will readjust the distancing within classrooms and meeting rooms. Desks will be moved closer together, which will allow for more people in each room. 

“We will be doing some shuffling around with the classrooms for more condensed spacing and then turning some of the research classrooms that we used this year, like McKinnon Hall, Lakeside meeting rooms and LaRose second floor, back over to meetings,” Moore said. 

El Centro de Español, located in Carlton Building, will also undergo renovations this summer, and a new Esports facility is planned to be built inside the Global Commons.