Lily Charkow, Arts & Life Editor–
As last semester was coming to an end, many students were scrambling to find housing.
A great number of students were concerned about finding a place to live, and numerous seniors were unable to live in a senior apartment. This housing crisis prompted the staff of Denison’s residential community to find alternative housing for students, and was one of the reasons why it was decided to transform Burton music hall into a residential hall.
Burton was built in 1883, designed by the architectural firm Richards, McCraty, and Bulford of Columbus. Burton was originally built for female students who attended Shepardson College, prior to the combining of Shephardson and Denison. Located on South Quad, Burton has lived many lives since its original construction. Burton has functioned as an office space, a music building, and home to the I.T. department.
The building now functions as a residence hall for sophomores. Burton contains new mechanical and electrical systems, as well as new plumbing systems. The structure also has a new building envelope, which includes renovations done on windows, roofing, and exterior masonry restoration. Burton was also renovated to include facilities typically found in other residence halls, such as single, double, and triple rooms. It also contains gender inclusive bathrooms, three student lounges, two kitchens, and a laundry room.
Fadi Rabadi, was the construction manager of the Burton renovation project. He explained in an interview that Burton was essentially “gutted.” He also explained that the plans to renovate Burton came up somewhat last minute, adding that almost all aspects of the building have been renovated. The attic was also renovated from an office space to become a third floor. In addition to new electrical and mechanical systems, there have been many changes made to the exterior of the building.
Laisha Mendoza ‘27 and Tillie Padgitt ‘27, are two residents of Burton and are roommates. They spoke to me about the decision to live in Burton and their experience so far.
“It was a new building, [and] we were intrigued by the AC,” Padgitt said. “By the time we were picking [our housing] we had the choice to either live in east hall, one of the frat houses, or here. And we were like ‘let’s do south quad,’” Padgitt said.
Mendoza highlighted the positive features of living on the south quad, saying “people treat this area much nicer than they did last year…the environment is already better.”
The renovations do not end with Burton. The office of residential communities plans to renovate more residential buildings on Denison’s campus. East Hall and Shepardson Hall are next on the list to be revamped.
Abby Webster / The Denisonian