Fall 2012 Issue - Colby-Sawyer College

Make Way for More Students
by Kimberly Swick Slover
As Colby-Sawyer moves
closer to its goal of
1,500 students, the first
phase of the college’s
construction plan will
transform the Ware
Campus Center into
a modern student center
and the ground floors
of Abbey and Burpee Halls
into residential space for
students.
The Ware Campus Center
project began in February
and will add 14,000 square
feet to the building, expanding
both the dining hall
and mailroom and adding
office space, seminar
rooms for events or
classes and meeting
rooms for student clubs.
The dining hall will extend
its seating capacity with
a series of small and large
spaces that offer café style
dining, private dining
rooms, and indoor and
outdoor terrace dining.
Restrooms will be added
to the ground level and
a new elevator will service
all three floors.
With 24-hour access to
the dining hall, the center
will become a more
dynamic, inviting and
accessible place. “The new
student center will create
a greater sense of community
at the college. The
10 Colby-Sawyer College Magazine
Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative, the Ware Campus Center addition will expand the
dining hall and create new office spaces for staff and meeting and seminar spaces for students.
The renovations, according to Vice President of Student Development and Dean of Students
Dave Sauerwein, will turn the building into an active student center.
goal is to create a place
where all members of
the community, including
our commuter students
who do not have a meal
plan, can go any time
of day,” says Vice President
of Student Development
and Dean of Students
Dave Sauerwein. “There
will be a variety of spaces
so that students can find
their own space to eat,
study or relax. It will be a
hub in the middle of the
residence halls with
entrances on both upper
and lower levels of
campus. It truly will turn
this building into an active
student center.”
Part of the new dining
hall space was completed
in time to welcome approximately
1,400 students
for the fall semester. Construction
on other parts
of the building continues
and will be completed by
February 2013.
Shortly after Commencement
on May 5, renovations
began in Burpee and
Abbey Halls, which returned
its ground floors to
residential space after
housing the Windy Hill
School for decades. By
June the demolition phase
of the project was complete
and the residence
hall rooms were taking
shape. Twenty-two beds
have been added to each
residence hall, and Burpee
Hall’s lower level also
features a new kitchen.
These renovations were
completed in mid-
August, just in time
to welcome students to
brand-new living spaces.
Webcam on Ware
Webcams have been
installed in two locations
overlooking the Ware
construction site. Keep an
eye on the progress at
www.colby-sawyer.edu/
currents/ware.html.