Edens Residence Hall Changes - More Than a Facelift

Reputations can be remade. With Edens residence hall, administrators set out to do just that.

"We heard that Edens felt disconnected from the rest of campus," said Rick Johnson, associate vice president of student affairs for housing, dining and residence life. "We heard that many of the amenities students used frequently were too far away. We heard Edens was dark, that there were few places to gather as a community, that there was 'nothing special' about Edens. These were some of the things we set out to fix.”

So how are Edens student residents feeling about the fixes?

"The renovations are really, awesome," said Zarina Bentum, T'17, an Edens RA. She called the plans "well thought out, elegantly done. The changes really resolve the complaints students raised."

Most noticeable of all the renovations is the new glass-faced access-way at the confluence of Edens, Keohane 4E and McClendon Tower. These three areas now form a beautiful gathering area offering dining, larger and small gathering spaces, and an entry into the trees and lawns and added amenities now offered in Edens.

Some of these new amenities include two workout rooms with personal trainers available, and a yoga/dance studio that will soon offer zumba and hot yoga classes. In addition, kitchens throughout Edens have been renovated, which Bentum says will be a great gathering area for houses.

"A lot of RAs like to make dinner for the students," she said. "It makes it more family style, more homey. We're very excited about the kitchens."

Community starts in the kitchen. These gatherings spaces are sure to be a new hub of activity.

Sophomore Nicholas Gardener is also set to enjoy all that the renovations have to offer. "All the changes look cool," he said. "I knew they were working on renovations, but I didn't know about all the changes.

"The new lighting is beautiful, and the commons rooms are nice," Gardener said, pointing out architectural features that have been added. Ground to roofline windows have been added at each building entrance, bringing light into the building during the day, and lighting up the surroundings at night with modern chandeliers.

Coming in October, work will be completed on a comfortable study space, as well as the best on campus high-tech gaming room.

Bentum said that all of the renovations have made Edens feel much more like a community. Even the RAs feel more like a team and are geared up to get students more involved and get more of campus coming their way.

"I've had a lot of friends text me,” Bentum said. “They're interested to see the renovations and how great it looks." 

Below: Living room-like gathering spaces throughout Edens feature large screen TVs and huge windows.