Campus Construction

In an effort to improve vehicular and pedestrian safety at the intersection of Route 229 and Wiggin Street, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will begin construction of a one-lane roundabout at the main entrance to Gambier beginning June 1. Construction is expected to be completed by the end of the fall 2024 semester.

Work on Kenyon’s historic South Quad began in the spring and summer of 2022, with the construction of apartment-style residence halls on South Campus. Construction will be phased with the first residence hall scheduled for occupation in the spring of 2025. The site will accommodate two more halls as outlined in the campus master plan.

In order to expand the standby power systems in Peirce Hall and make the entire building functional in the case of an emergency, construction will begin mid-March to accommodate a larger generator. Work will center around the loading dock and not interrupt current usage. It is expected to be complete by the end of July.

Two offices in the lower level of Tomsich Hall are currently being converted into a new science lab. Construction on the new lab began in February 2024 and is anticipated to be complete for the start of the summer 2024.

Renovation work on Kenyon’s 180-year-old Bexley Hall is complete. Construction began in winter 2022 and the dormitory welcomed its first students in the spring of 2024. The former seminary building was redesigned to house 40 students in suites, and the exterior was restored to expose original Gothic details and masonry. Colburn Hall was also fully renovated and reopened in spring 2024 as a student event space. A new outdoor terrace was constructed and new windows were added.

The new Chalmers Library opened in the fall of 2021. Lowell House, the new home for admissions, opened in the spring of 2022. Oden Hall, a new academic building for the social sciences opened for the start of second semester in January 2023.

Stephens Hall, built in 1902, once served as the library stacks for the adjoining Ransom Hall. When the building was converted into office spaces, the third floor was a forgotten attic space. In fall 2024, the space was transformed into a stunning, bright conference room. Although it sits in the heart of south campus, it feels like a remote location hidden from the surrounding busyness of campus life.

During spring break 2024, contractors worked tirelessly to install new wooden window shutters on Lentz House, the Cox Health and Counseling Center and several buildings along Gaskin Avenue. The installation represents the finishing touches on some of the village’s most prominent buildings and solidifies the cohesion of village architecture.