Upgrades coming to SUNY Oneonta dorm building

ONEONTA, N.Y. (WBNG) — Despite students being gone for the summer, there’s still a lot of movement on the SUNY Oneonta campus. It’s crowded with construction.

The Huntington Hall dorm is undergoing major renovations to add more bedroom space for approximately 80 students. The upgrades are also meant to enhance the student experience of living on campus.

“I think students’ needs are changing and I think residence halls are more than just a place to sleep,” said SUNY Oneonta Associate Director of Residence Life and Housing Christine Edwards.

A four-story addition will also be added onto the existing building. That’s where brand-new kitchens will be located, along with a fitness center, elevators, study spaces and a few more amenities.

“There’s places we can use as yoga rooms. There’s places we can use as gaming rooms and that kind of stuff, so I think that will be really exciting for the students,” said Edwards.

The total cost of the project is an estimated $20 million. However, that will be coming from the Dormitory Authority of New York and will not affect what students already pay to live on-campus. While it’s a big investment, the school says it’s an investment well spent.

“By having a good retention rate and increasing enrollment, we know that if we’re going to continue to keep successful students who want to live in the residence halls, because that definitely adds to their ability to be successful at college, that we needed to make sure that we plan ahead,” said Edwards.

While the upgrades will make the campus look nice, it’s really to make sure a dorm is serving a full purpose.

“To make it feel like a home, as opposed to just being a functional building,” said Edwards.

Construction is expected to be completed in July 2020. Huntington Hall will be available for students to move into that fall. While it is closed until then, arrangements will be made in other residence halls to accommodate all students living on-campus.