By: Essence Buckman, Staff Writer

Plans are set to begin renovations on Charles F. Marsh Residence Hall, better known as Marsh, this upcoming summer.

Marsh’s reputation tends to precede it on campus, with residents citing heating and other problems in the past.

“It was a pain not having a thermostat when I lived on the second floor my freshman year,” Aleah Qureshi, ’18, says. “I heard that people got sick from living there, and that students had to temporarily live in the Marriott due to asbestos in Marsh.”

For a while, rumors have circulated around campus of Marsh Residence hall being renovated or completely torn down. What has been confirmed is that there are plans to start the process for renovations starting this upcoming summer. Laura H. Corbin, director of news services explains this in response to a few questions:

Q1: Could you elaborate (or clarify) what exactly is going to happen to Marsh Hall in terms of infrastructure?

A1: [Wofford] will be adding a roof top conditioned fresh air system to Marsh. The system will condition and circulate fresh air in the hallways, which will improve the air quality and reduce humidity within the building.

Q2: Are there any plans to remodel it completely in terms of the remodeling done to Greene Residence Hall?

A2: This summer’s work is the first stage of a multi-stage renovation. We have successfully taken a similar approach with renovations in Shipp, DuPré and Greene halls. In all projects mentioned, we installed a fresh air system in the year prior to a full renovation. Over the next few weeks we will begin to work with engineers and architects to plan for a full-scale renovation similar to the Greene hall project.

Q3: Why the change from tearing Marsh down completely to improving the infrastructure?

A3: Structurally, Marsh is a solid building, and we feel we can provide the best value for our students by renovating the residence hall.

Q4: Are there any plans to add an additional residence hall in the near future on campus?

A4: We are constantly evaluating our housing options on campus. We periodically price various options to look for the best value for our students.

Q5: In terms of other residence halls and apartments on campus, are there any plans for renovations for other residence halls? (e.g. Carlisle Hall, additional phases in the Village, Wightman Hall, etc.)

A5: As part of our yearly replacement and renewal process we are constantly improving and repairing all of our facilities. As an example, all of our senior Village housing is on a five-year rotation to receive a complete interior repaint in addition to yearly touch ups.