New views, inside and out
New houses will greet their first residents

Perhaps you’ll be walking on a pathway that borders newly-seeded grass and earthy beds that await bushes, but the residences begun last year at this time are opening for students’ return, beginning September 8. As Dean of Students Lucretia Wells wrote to the families whose children will live in the new houses, “seeing the plans we looked at last spring come to life is exciting.” Walking down the quad, passing through Hallowell and noticing the evolution of a distinct residential community there is also a thrill.

A frigid winter and 17 days of rain in May put the project on a challenging schedule. Finishing the faculty residences and student rooms has been the priority. Thanks to the extraordinary effort and cooperation of Columbia Construction (double shifts and Saturday work) the houses will be finished and furnished. The exteriors and interiors of these residences meet not only the School’s needs but our hopes: The brick, lightly brushed copper and clapboard, the entry ways and porches and variegated roof lines fit seamlessly into the campus, while also defining distinctive new styles for two different houses. The rooms within—of various shapes and sizes to simulate rooms one would fine in a private residence—have beautiful light, fine finishes such as moldings and wainscoting, fireplaces, laundry rooms and kitchens. Faculty apartments are spacious and well-appointed. Great care has been taken in choosing the finish colors, the carpeting and furnishings; together they contribute to the cozy, warm feeling of a house, rather than a standard dormitory. The quadrangle has taken on an identity and distinction of its own – clearly separate from the central campus, even while it is immediately adjacent.

Faculty will move in over Labor Day Weekend, and although some boxes might still be sealed, they will be ready to greet students when they arrive.

During September work will continue on these elements:

• Landscape and exterior detailing (although the site will be clean and clear)
• Completion of the dining rooms and serving kitchens (Plans for a temporary alternative for dining, such as Forbes Dining Room, is under consideration as we write.)
• Finish work in the common rooms and basement
• Finalization of a stairway in the girls’ house (not a means of egress)
• Delivery of common room and recreation room furniture, and installation of window treatments

Make sure to come for Parents’ Weekend to get the full picture. Two great Milton houses will be a familiar and comfortable part of students’ terrain, by then.

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