Student center renewal to begin January 2023
Student center will be fully closed for Summer 2023
Stratton Student Center renewal plans “are on the verge” of receiving approval and construction will begin early next year, Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Community Involvement Gustavo Burkett wrote in a Nov. 9 email to occupants of the student center.
According to Burkett’s email, “infrastructure and preparatory work” for the renewal will begin January 2023. Construction will take place for the Coffeehouse Lounge on the third floor, restrooms, and on mechanical/infrastructure systems in February and March.
After Campus Preview Weekend, April 13–16, the student center will be closed to the public. Student organization leaders and retail tenants will still be able to access the building in order to prepare spaces before the student center is fully shutdown in early May.
The student center will be fully shut down beginning in early May and throughout the summer for intensive construction. During this time, no public or tenant access will be allowed in the building.
In mid-August, tenants will be able to ramp up their activities in preparation for reopening the student center fully to the public. The student center will reopen fully in late August once students have returned to campus.
The student center renewal project team is providing opportunities for community members to learn more about the renovations and to learn how the team will “mitigate disruptions caused by the building’s temporary closure,” Burkett wrote. The team will also reach out to organizations who have reserved space during the construction period to discuss alternatives.
The goal of the student center renewal is to create a center for wellbeing on campus. The renovations are expected to improve design coherence of the building, update the building’s infrastructure, include more flexible-use spaces, and provide a welcoming environment to all. A new Wellbeing Lab will also be added to the building, replacing the Coffeehouse Lounge.
A community information session and furniture fair will be held Nov. 17 from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Additionally, community members can reach the project team at w20updates@mit.edu or submit comments through an online form.