Renovations Roundup

As Penn suffers the cold winter, campus construction continues nevertheless. The year 2016 will see the completion of many construction projects. In the meantime, minor upgrades across campus will be funded by Penn’s $300 million Century Bond program. The Daily Pennsylvanian rounded up the progress on the major construction sites on campus. 

New College House:

Alongside 34th and Chestnut Streets, exterior walls are starting to be constructed for the New College House. Upon completion, the New College House will feature suite living, a large outdoor courtyard, music practicing rooms, its own dining venue, a large living room and community kitchens. 

The luxurious New College House is slated to be ready for student occupancy in the fall semester of 2016, and once the exterior is built up, work on the stylistic interior can begin.

Hill College House:

Hill College House on the other side of the block will not be forgotten, however. Hill will undergo renovations, including a much-requested AC system, aesthetic and kitchen upgrades according to University Architect David Hollenberg. The Hill area will turn into “a pretty fabulous residential block, between a great new building and a great restored building,” Hollenberg said. Renovations are expected to take a year and a half.

Following the completion of the New College House, any residents who would normally live in Hill will instead have the first opportunity of occupancy in the New College House as renovations take place.

Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building:

Across campus near 38th and University Avenue, construction of the Neural and Behavioral Sciences Building is well underway and on schedule. To be completed in the spring of 2016, the building will function as a center of collaboration between the fields of psychology, behavioral science and biology at Penn.

Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics:

Another new interdisciplinary building, the Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics, will be constructed through renovation and expansion of old buildings on 36th and Walnut streets. The new center is in design now and is scheduled to start construction by the end of 2015. Political science and economics are two of the most popular majors at Penn, and the Perelman Center is meant to “unite the two disciplines under one roof,” Hollenberg said. 

Perry World House:

The lot aside the Kelly Writers House has experienced construction all throughout last fall, as the foundation for the Perry World House is laid. The Perry World House will serve as a center for Penn’s global initiatives. Featuring a large forum space, a conference room and a classroom, the New Perry World House is projected to be ready for occupancy in January of 2016.

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