With the last set of renovations underway, The Daily Pennsylvanian spoke to current first years and Penn Residential Services about ongoing improvements to the Quad.
The Quad renovation project began in 2023 and is currently in its third and final phase, with renovations to Fisher Hassenfeld College House slated for completion in August 2026. Construction of the Riepe and Ware College Houses were completed in August 2024 and August 2025, respectively.
The Quad renovations are focused on “improving building infrastructure,” Director for Design and Construction Scott Nobel told the DP. The renovations prioritize updates to the mechanical and electrical systems as well as roof and window replacements.
Namely, the Quad’s new amenities include improved bathrooms, common spaces, and furniture as well as the installation of elevators.
Director of Residential Services Pat Killilee emphasized the importance of the student living experience in the renovation process, explaining that the updates to community spaces in the Quad have been designed to meet “today’s needs.”
The Quad is being renovated because the last renovations took place roughly 25 years ago, placing it in the cycle for improvements, Killilee explained. Another focus of the renovations is accessibility, hence the addition of two elevators — one in Riepe and one in Ware.
“Because of the age of the building, it can never be 100% accessible, but it is significantly more accessible now than it was three years ago,” Killilee told the DP.
The DP spoke to first-year students who expressed general approval of the renovations. Wharton and Engineering first year Ava Martoma, who lives in Ware, expressed satisfaction with the upgraded bathrooms and common spaces in her college house.
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“The common spaces are nice,” Martoma said. “I think the bathrooms are very nice compared to most dorm bathrooms that I’ve been in.”
Wharton first year Sean Liao, a Riepe resident, commented that the renovations are additional benefits on top of the Quad’s convenient location and social life. He emphasized his appreciation for the study lounges especially.
Last year, Quad residents told the DP that the renovations to Ware, which divided the upper and lower Quad, disrupted their social and residential experience. Current first years stated that the Fisher Hassenfeld renovations have been different, highlighting a lack of disruptions and construction noise.
Nobel told the DP that there are numerous measures being taken to avoid negatively impacting the current student experience in the Quad, including separating the project into three phases, isolating construction areas, and considering students’ schedules.
“The contractors are working in accordance with the school schedule in ways where reading days and so forth are accounted for,” Nobel said. “There are also later starts to the construction piece to avoid early starts.”
Ware residents who spoke to the DP mentioned that the lack of a water filling station in their college house is “the main issue.”
“We are currently working on identifying a location for a water filling station in Ware,” Killilee told the DP.
He explained that it was missed during the construction phase, but that it will be added sometime during the academic year. Riepe has a water filling station, and Fisher Hassenfeld will also have one once its construction has been completed.
Wharton and Engineering first year Anthony Yu, another Ware resident, also expressed concern about the air quality in the renovated Quad, adding that he has his “window open all the time.”
Still, the project places a focus on sustainability to ensure equipment is “commissioned to optimal levels.”
“The effect will be to improve the student experience by creating refreshed and functional, accessible spaces that minimize maintenance calls,” Nobel added.
