GENESEO — After two whole years of renovation, one of Geneseo’s oldest residence halls has reopened this semester with an environmental twist.
The college celebrated Monroe Hall’s reopening as this has been its first renovation in over fifty years since the initial construction in 1961. The building will now join the ranks of the most sought after dorms alongside Seneca (Writer’s House) and Putnam (Eco-House) Halls. With the reopening of the residence hall, the focus is now creating an eco-friendly environment for its residents. Energy efficiency is also crucial to Monroe’s update.
“This incredible, repurposed building is an ‘extreme makeover’ with eco-friendly features. Such projects help us focus on serving our mission to combine a rigorous curriculum with a rich co-curricular life to create a learning-centered environment for our students,” said SUNY Geneseo President Christopher C. Dahl.
As the residence hall’s new focus is energy efficiency, geothermal wells have been placed underground in order to control the heating and cooling of the building, this will be the second building to do so on campus. Another manner in which Monroe Hall can boast energy efficiency lies within a unique rainwater harvesting system on the roof that’s purpose is to conserve water by channeling it though toilets. During the demolition process of renovation, waste deriving from the construction site had been recycled as well.
According to the school’s Media Relations Manager, David Irwin, the renovations of Monroe Hall have cost upwards of $14 million. The project is in compliance with the initiative President Dahl signed in 2007 that implemented a call for reducing the environmental impact at the college.
Monroe Hall is now home to 170 students at the college who have transferred in this semester, providing them with a rare opportunity, as most incoming transfers are placed on the south side of campus.