Air Conditioning for West Quad and a Transformed Ballroom: An Overview of Upgrades Coming to Gettysburg College
Renovations to West Quad mockup. Facilities noted that there will be more greenery implemented. (Image courtesy of Gettysburg College)
By Vincent DiFonzo, Editor-in-Chief
Over winter break, Gettysburg College will begin a multi-million dollar renovation of multiple campus buildings and outdoor spaces. The facility upgrades were first announced by the College on Oct. 23.
Renovations will primarily target the West Quad first-year residence halls, the College Union Building Ballroom and Plank Gym’s lower level. These renovations are estimated to cost approximately $30 million.
“Whether it’s hanging out with friends in a fresh new lounge in West Quad, attending a performance or panel discussion in the modernized Ballroom, or meeting new people when they stop to grab a snack and drink in Plank — all of these spaces are designed to help students make the personal, social, and academic connections that will help them thrive,” said Vice President for College Life Anne Ehrlich.
West Quad Residence Halls
The West Quad residence halls, which include Paul, Stine and Rice Halls, will undergo renovations that are planned to be completed before the spring 2027 semester. The upgrades stem from a joint effort from Facilities, Residential Education and Campus Safety.
The upgrades will begin at the end of this academic year, with work on Stine planned to begin this May. Following Stine, which is scheduled to be complete in December, Paul will be renovated beginning in January 2026. Work on Rice will begin in May 2026. During the academic year, only one residence hall is scheduled to be closed at a time, and first-years will be accommodated in other traditional residence halls.
Among the upgrades is a new HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system. Students in West Quad residence halls currently have no air conditioning, with the exception of window units, which require a doctor’s note for students to request.
The halls will also each receive a kitchen. Associate Vice President of Facilities Planning and Management Jim Biesecker called the new kitchens “an amenity that’s needed more and more because of accommodations needed for students to be able to make their meals.”
West Quad residences will also receive new open-concept lobbies, improved lighting, new flooring and accessible entrances. Student rooms and common spaces will receive entirely new furniture. The bathrooms will also be fully renovated for the first time since the late 1990s.
Finally, the outdoor space between Stine, Paul and Rice will receive new pathways connecting the quad, and new landscaping, including more greenery.
Renovations to West Quad mockup. (Image Courtesy of Gettysburg College)
College Union Building Ballroom
The CUB Ballroom, which frequently hosts large campus events, lectures and performances, will be redesigned as a “multipurpose venue.” Construction will start immediately following Commencement. The ballroom is planned to close from May until January 2026.
The renovations are a joint effort by many departments across campus, including Campus Safety, the Office of Student Activities and Greek Life, Admissions, College Advancement, Facilities and Dining Services.
The Ballroom’s orientation will be flipped, with a new entryway planned for Lincoln Avenue. This entryway will also act as a “pre-function space to support event registrations, receptions, and small gatherings.”
The new Ballroom stage will be portable, allowing for flexibility depending on the type of event being hosted. Additionally, the Ballroom will receive upgraded technologies.
“The work in the Ballroom is really systems — so new ceiling, lighting, mechanical systems,” said Biesecker. He also noted that Facilities will work closely with the IT department on implementing new technology, such as new “dynamic lighting, amplified sound quality, and a video wall.”
After the renovations, the Ballroom will still be able to seat about 900 people. While the Ballroom is closed, the College Major Events Committee will “review all venue requests for impacted events and will find alternative spaces to fit the College’s needs,” according to the College’s website.
Plank Gym
Changes coming to Plank include a new campus bar, an outdoor beer garden and a new student media center. These changes come after the implementation of the Plank arcade, movie theater, art studio and creativity lounge last year.
The campus bar will allow students to grab late-night snacks and drinks beginning next semester. The space will be open to students of any age, but only students 21+ will be able to purchase alcoholic beverages.
Drinks served will include beer, canned seltzers and sodas, while snacks served will include soft pretzels, nachos and other pre-packaged snacks. Drinks and snacks will be available by card payment. As of now, dining dollars will not be accepted.
The bar will be open on Friday and Saturday evenings, and will be staffed by student workers. Applications for these positions will open on Handshake soon.
“The goal is, late night food, reasonable price, convenient,” noted Director of Student Activities and Greek Life Jon Allen.
Depending on weather, an outdoor beer garden is planned to open after spring break. The garden will be located on the side of Plank and will include fire pits and seating. Students will be permitted to bring drinks and snacks purchased in the indoor bar to the beer garden.
The beer garden will be available to reserve for daytime events, such as “receptions and student organization gatherings,” according to the College website. It will be available for evening events Sunday through Thursday, and will be open to all students on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The College noted that the campus bar and beer garden are “open to all Gettysburgians,” not just students who are of legal drinking age.
“My hope for this space is that alcohol is there for people who want it, but it’s not necessarily the primary focus,” said Allen.
This article originally appeared on page 4 and 5 of the No. 1 December 2024 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine.
