Residents of Hubbell House were told last Wednesday morning that they must relocate by Jan. 30 due to anticipated concerns with the building’s structural integrity. Residents received an email from Assistant Director of Housing Operations Heather McCarthy informing them that Hubbell would close for the remainder of the 2023-2024 academic year to allow for “necessary repairs and improvements to enhance safety and overall living conditions.”
According to the email, the move is “proactive,” and there is no immediate threat to residents’ safety. Renovations to the building are scheduled to begin in early February, Senior Project Manager Shaun Garvey told the Record.
Earlier this month, Garvey was repairing damage from an electrical fire in Hubbell over the summer when he discovered that one of the building’s chimneys was in “pretty rough condition structurally,” he said. In order to make repairs, however, the maintenance team would have to shut off the building’s hot water system, which vents through the damaged chimney.
Facilities and the Office of Campus Life (OCL) decided to address the issue while the damage was already exposed, rather than rebuilding the wall to cover the chimney and returning to the matter over the summer.
OCL is relocating residents during Winter Study to avoid a more disruptive move in the middle of the semester, McCarthy said.
The repairs will include replacing Hubbell’s hot water system, which Garvey said was due for an upgrade unrelated to the summer fire and chimney damage. OCL expects to reopen Hubbell for the 2024-2025 academic year, and it will be available in this year’s general housing lottery.
When the decision was announced, many residents were not surprised by the news. “I think there’s been a bit of impending doom for the whole year after the fire over the summer,” said Leo Margolies ’26. “My first reaction was, like, ‘Wow, the second shoe dropped.’”
In the weeks leading to the decision, residents experienced issues with their heating and hot water systems. Kelly Reyes ’26 said that earlier in the month, the heating in her room felt like it was not working, and her water took a long time to heat up.
Reyes expressed frustration with the timing of the relocation announcement. “It was so sudden,” she said. “They kind of just made the executive decision. I would have felt better if they asked for our opinions.”
McCarthy held virtual office hours on the day of the announcement and in-person meetings in Hubbell the next day to address student questions and concerns. “I have a lot of respect for the fact that she has been really willing to have face-to-face interactions,” Margolies said. “I think she genuinely wants to give us the best situation possible.”
Residents will receive an additional 100 housing points for use in the 2024-2025 housing lottery, which will move their housing group’s pick time earlier in the lottery.
Some students said they were satisfied by the compensation, but others, like Reyes and Maile Ruiz ’26, expressed frustration.
The pair’s pick group had used additional housing points earned during their first year to pick into Hubbell, but now that they have been asked to relocate, the gains from their previous housing were cut short.
“We only reaped the benefits of a semester, which is really frustrating,” Reyes said. “We asked [McCarthy] if we could somehow get half a semester of points to our next general housing [lottery], and she was just like, ‘No, it’s just gonna be a flat 100 for everyone.’”
OCL is partnering with Dorm Room Movers to provide students with boxes, tape, and moving assistance free of cost. Students have inquired about receiving financial assistance for dorm items people tend to buy and use once, like command strips and poster putty, but McCarthy said OCL has yet to reach a decision.
“I’m grateful that [McCarthy] took all the time to work with us and discuss our needs,” Ruiz said. “It just all happened so fast.”
“I think [McCarthy] is very apologetic and is doing her best to help us in any way that she can,” Margolies said. “But nothing would beat being able to stay in our dorms.”
