Which would you rather call home: Renovated older housing, retrofitted for today’s needs, but with quirky charm and a sense of history? Or brand spanking-new construction with all the latest modern conveniences built for 21st century technology?
University of Dayton students may have trouble deciding which they prefer: Marycrest or Marianist? The residence halls are different, by design.
Some students maintain “the ’Crest is the best.” UD’s largest residence hall, seven-story Marycrest Complex is home to about 560 first-year and 300 second-year students and is co-ed by floor. Built in 1962 as the campus’ first residential facility for women students, this past summer Marycrest underwent the second phase of a nearly $20 million renovation.
In summer 2006, Marycrest’s south wing received a massive makeover, including new Pella windows, plumbing, air conditioning, upgraded electrical systems, new elevators and expanded and renovated restrooms. In Marycrest’s common areas, cosmetic upgrades included new flooring, paint and wall finishes (the telltale ’60s salmon-pink hallway wall tile has been covered with drywall). In student rooms, birch wall units were refinished with a richer cherry stain, and new laminate vanity tops, mirrors and lighting were installed.
“Our goal is to add amenities to our traditional residence halls. The majority of the renovations have focused on upgrading Marycrest’s infrastructure,” said Jack Dempsey, director of residence hall operations.
Since May 5, when students left for the summer, as many as 200 construction workers at a time hustled through the second phase of renovations, upgrading the middle and north wings of the vintage building. A sign posted by Messer Construction kept the goal in focus: “356 rooms, 87 days. Can we do it? Yes we can.”
UD students returned this month to find that each wing of each floor has its own open, airy lounge geared toward student meetings and study groups.(See photos). Every room features microwave-fridge combos and new two-position desk chairs that let students lean back – without damaging the chair legs. Restroom facilities have been expanded and renovated, an especially welcome addition to the building’s middle wing.
There’s space for 33 residential education staff members, up from 21, which provides more individual attention for students and facilitates learning communities.
Marycrest’s double rooms at 10 feet by 16 feet are the largest on campus. Triple rooms are as passé as the index cards once used by Marycrest co-eds to sign out for dances, parties and babysitting jobs and sign in before curfew.
What’s best about the ’Crest, though, remains timeless. Ann Craven, Marycrest’s facilities and operations manager, mentions amenities such as the full-service cafeteria, which seats 320 people. Students will tell you about Marycrest’s legendary friendly “cafeteria ladies,” who know you by name and will ask how you did on your chemistry test.
For Dempsey, Marycrest boasts a “built-in sense of community and bonding. It’s home to primarily first-year students who are away from home for the first time.” Students prop their doors open to the hallway, and they get to know everyone passing by.
For Kathy Gerardi, the UD facilities management staff member who oversaw the renovation, Marycrest offers something unique. “The views,” she said, pointing out the 270-degree panorama of the Dayton skyline from Marycrest’s middle wing, “are absolutely astounding.”
If Marycrest is a renovated classic, Marianist Hall, the four-story brick building dubbed “Hotel Marianist” when it opened in fall 2004, is thoroughly contemporary construction.
Marianist Hall puts students’ rooms a stone’s throw away from classrooms, faculty and campus ministry offices, a spacious two-story bookstore, post office, credit union, food emporium and 60-seat chapel. Every floor has living rooms and even a dining room table for small groups of students to enjoy dinner with professors.
“I especially like the amount of activity in the lobby,” saidThomas Burkhardt III, Marianist Hall’s facilities and operations manager, who works to make sure the building keeps its brand-new appearance. “It’s so central. People -- not only the building’s residents -- meet, have lunch and talk there.”
Marianist Hall houses 128 first-year students and 256 second-year students. Named for the religious order that founded the University of Dayton, Marianist Hall was built to promote small communities engaged in both living and learning. About 60 first-year residents participate in the CORE program, a sequence of coordinated courses that fulfills many of the University’s general education requirements and addresses the common theme of “Human Values in a Pluralistic Culture.” Students have some of their classes in the second-floor Marianist Hall Learning Space, a comfortable, flexible setting, with large windows and views of campus.
The Learning Space lends itself to informal learning opportunities. Students in a social justice class have gathered there with their professor to watch and discuss President Bush’s State of the Union address. Core students hosted an artist’s reception during a campus exhibition of the works of Curtis Barnes. Dayton Early College Academy students and Core students learned side by side in a social philosophy class, discussing works such as Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran. Over pizza with author and educational activist Parker Palmer, education majors students shared their opinions about the strengths and weaknesses of higher education.
Marianist Hall is all about convenience. Students use their meal plan card to buy everything from cereal to sandwiches and stock their in-room micro-fridges with items from the Emporium’s fruit and dairy cases.
The building is a showplace for all the campus tours, said Burkhardt. “I always show the laundry room. It looks out between two wings of the building onto green space. Despite the fact it’s a laundry room, it’s bright and refreshing. And because it has wireless access, you can work on your laptop while you do your laundry.”
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Marycrest
Pros:
The best views
Full cafeteria with the friendliest staff
Largest rooms
Legacy and tradition
Sense of community
Little-known fact: Originally built as a women’s dorm, the building has no urinals
Marianist
Pros:
The Emporium stocks sushi
Classrooms in the building
Next door to the RecPlex
Great lobby for seeing and being seen
The Chapel of the Marianist Martyrs
Fabulous laundry room
Little-known fact: Was the first residence hall to provide in-room microwave-refrigerator combos
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