Plimpton Renovations Receive Positive Student Feedback

Last spring, residents of Plimpton House were alerted that they would have to undergo an unexpected mid-semester move-out in order for energy efficiency renovations to be completed before the Fall 2025 move-in. The renovations consisted of replacing all windows and installing a new and accessible kitchen and laundry room, which were added to the first floor. 

Former residents, shocked by the urgency of the move-out in February, began to speculate that the need for renovations was a result of damages caused by parties at Plimpton in the past, such as a Nov. 12, 2022 party that left the basement of the building with holes in the walls and ceiling that were believed to have damaged the electric wiring and the drywall. These damages, which cost the college more than $5,000, were also believed by some students to have caused structural issues.

Other rumors suggested that the urgent and lengthy renovations in Plimpton were the result of mold in the kitchen or the disturbance of hazardous materials such as asbestos and lead. According to Director of Housing and Operations Marie Lalor, these were nothing more than rumors. Lalor confirmed that “there were absolutely no [health] concerns influencing the timeline,” and added that “the additional time allowed for the window installation.”

Former Plimpton resident Kaitlyn Huang ’27 attended an information session before her move-out, which is where she learned about the move-out timeline. Huang recalled that the reason the college gave for the mid-semester move-out was to have the renovations completed for Fall 2025 move-in.  The renovations required more than the typical 10-week summer schedule as the college aimed to add additional enhancements that Tyler House did not receive when renovated previously, such as the replacement of all windows.

“Honestly, I [believe] that because I personally didn’t experience any weird things that were talked about on campus, so I trust that they gave us the full run-down of why exactly they renovated,” Huang said.

Lalor reiterated the reason for the renovations in a written response to The Student, stating, “Normally, these projects are done during the summer over 10-week timeframes to reduce the impact on students, but the improvements in Plimpton required more time than that,” Lalor wrote. “As the budget and potential scope of the project came into sharper relief, we realized that we could include the replacement of windows, but only if we extended the project’s timeline. To ensure the project was completed by move-in, the project began mid-semester.”

Lalor explained the renovations, stating, “The Plimpton kitchen now rivals any kitchen in our residence halls and houses, and we are excited to encourage group cooking and baking programs that celebrate food, culture, and community,” Lalor stated on behalf of the Student Affairs staff. Current residents noted that the basement is no longer in use as its previous facilities were replaced on the first floor.

Another former resident, Rizwan Ayub ’27 shared that while he is thankful the building has received some updates, he believes the renovations would not change most students' negative view of the residence hall due to its long distance from campus compared to other Amherst residence halls.

Huang admitted that she would leave her room early in the morning, only coming back at night to sleep. She also noted the lack of a social scene on the Hill, referring to it instead as a small community mostly with other residents of the Hill.

Current Plimpton resident Lucas Silva ’28 claimed that “if Plimpton [were] in the middle of campus, it’d be an amazing dorm [and be] very competitive.”  He immediately took note of the changes upon move-in, including “the floor, the finishes, new flooring, new kitchen, new windows.”  

Nonetheless, the location of Plimpton remained a main topic in each interview, indicating that perhaps the renovations would do little to alter the reputation of the residence hall, which is already far from a first choice for many students.  “I agree the distance will forever make it not an attractive place to [live],” Silva said in agreement with Ayub.

However, current resident Logan Molloy ’28 stated that while the distance was unflattering, the changes made in Plimpton over the latter half of the spring semester and over the summer definitely made Plimpton feel more like a home.

When asked about his opinion on the renovations, Molloy agreed that he could definitely notice the changes. “The kitchen is incredibly nice ... it almost looks like an IKEA kitchen,” Molloy joked.  “Everything looked very shiny, very new.”

Both Molloy and Silva explained that their options for sophomore year rooms pretty much came down to Tyler and Plimpton. Silva added that Plimpton, in his opinion, is now the better option out of the two.  “I chose Plimpton because of the renovations, so it was a forced move but a huge payoff.”