Big changes are coming to the residence halls at Robert Morris. Changes include putting lounges into all residence halls, adding a larger laundry room on the second floor of Adams, Ross, Hamilton, Gallatin and Marshall, and adding communal kitchens in Yorktown, Marshall and Hamilton.  

“One of the big complaints we get here at Residence Life is that students do not feel there are many places to congregate within the buildings,” Anne Lahoda, the director of the Office of Residence Life said.

Yorktown Hall will have a special kitchen that adheres to the guidelines specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act, which means students with physical disabilities will be able to use it. There will also be a second kitchen that will be available for student groups that wish to rent it out. Since Yorktown is a converted hotel, the bar area will become one of the kitchens.

“We are designing two kitchens, but they’re going to be side by side,” Lahoda said.  “That probably won’t be done until October.”

Residence Life is also in the process of updating laundry rooms in some of the dorms. Before, there were two laundry rooms in certain halls — one on the first floor and another on the third. After the update, there will be one main laundry room on the second floor that is larger and houses more machines.

“Last year, the students voiced that when they went to do laundry there weren’t any open machines,” Lahoda said. “Placing it all in location seems to be the best option because before, you’d have to run downstairs to check if anything’s open and then go upstairs to see if anything’s open. This way, we’re eliminating having to run around to find a washer and dryer.”

Residence Life is focusing on remodeling the freshman and sophomore dorms because they are used as mixed housing.

For more information about housing on campus click here.