Students Push for Donnelly as Next Building in Renovation Plan

With the Dyson Center now rebuilt, students question what building should be next for reconstruction. Photo by Elizabeth Baumgardner '25

With construction finally completed on the Dyson Center, students and staff have begun the hot debate as to which building on campus should be rebuilt next.

A major highlight of the semester up to this point has been the opening of Dyson, which has now become very popular among students for studying, grabbing a drink at Saxbys and enjoying the modern feel of the building. According to opinions on campus, Donnelly Hall stands in direct contrast. 

Donnelly is the oldest academic building on campus, with construction on the building being completed in 1962. Despite its historical legacy, many students believe the building feels more like a prison than a place where you sit in class.

“It’s just so depressing,” said Lucian Pezzillo ‘27. “Half the classes have no windows, and it makes the class feel like we are prisoners.”

Director of Sports Communication Andrew Elrick feels that Donnelly is the only correct answer.

“It seems like every time we have a faculty meeting, we talk about how bad this building is,” said Elrick.

Donnelly houses several School of Science programs, including state-of-the-art chemistry labs and a two-story greenhouse, a computer center, classrooms, lecture halls and a variety of student services and administrative offices. 

Joe Nasser ‘27 is a biochemistry major and has taken many lab classes in Donnelly. Despite the plethora of amenities the building offers, he believes that the building's aesthetic lacks character.

“The building is just soulless,” said Nasser. “The labs are pretty nice, but the building feels empty.”

Along with Donnelly, students also shared critiques about Champagnat Hall and Lowell Thomas.

Jonathan Chernin ‘27 could not wait to leave Champ at the end of his freshman year. “The elevators barely work, the rooms are small and the living conditions are overall just sub par,” said Chernin.

Champ was built in 1964 and houses approximately 440 freshman students. It is one of the tallest buildings on campus and is also connected to the student center, meaning demolition could pose an issue.

Another conflict with the rebuilding of Champ is that some faculty members live in Champ full-time. This would force Marist College to find different housing for these faculty members, while the new Champ would be under construction.

Perhaps the most unique answer came from Erin Holton ‘25, who advocated for the rebuilding of Lowell Thomas.

The main section of Lowell Thomas that Holton argued could be improved is the basement. “The basement is a little dark and gloomy. It would be really nice to increase the lighting down there or to replace the fluorescents with something more pleasant,” she said.

Lowell Thomas was built in 1987, more than 20 years before Donnelly and Champ, which makes it an unlikely candidate for a rebuild. However, that didn’t stop students from voicing their opinions on the necessity for a more modern facility.

“The Communications department is expanding rapidly,” Holton said. “For organizations like the Marist Circle and Center Field, having a new space would be invaluable for organizing campus media publications.”