McCormick Renewal Project delayed until summer 2026
Senior Associate Dean for Housing and Residential Life David Friedrich: “We remain committed to the project and look forward to continued engagement with the McCormick Community”
VIVIAN HIR—THE TECH
Announcement of the delay
On Feb. 12, all returning MIT undergraduates received news of the one-year delay in the McCormick Renewal Project via the undergraduate housing intent form. Originally, the renovation project was planned to begin in the summer of 2025. McCormick Head of House Raul Radovitzky first found out about the delay on Feb. 9. Then, McCormick residents received an email on Feb. 11.
Reason for the delay
According to Senior Associate Dean for Housing and Residential Life David Friedrich, the reason for the sudden change in plans is that “MIT is rebalancing the pace of capital plan spending across a range of existing and emerging priorities.” Chelsea Goodwill ’27, a McCormick resident, said in an interview with The Tech that she was concerned about the possibility that the renovations could be delayed again at this time next year, given that the delay was partly based on financial considerations.
She elaborated upon her concerns by saying that she thinks McCormick needs renovations to happen soon, partly due to areas such as the bathrooms and common areas, which are “very old and dated.” She also mentioned that her floor had also been having some general facilities problems, including a leak in the ceiling.
In regards to the project, Friedrich said, “The renewal of McCormick’s aging building systems will preserve the building’s historical charm while meeting modern accessibility standards… We remain committed to the project and look forward to continued engagement with the McCormick community.”
Preserving the McCormick community during the renovation
Both Goodwill and Rachel Yang ’28, another McCormick resident interviewed by The Tech, shared that, to some degree, they were happy the renovation was being delayed because this meant they could spend more time living with the community. Goodwill said, “I’m happy that McCormick is staying open for another year because I really like the community here.”
Friedrich and Radovitzky discussed how MIT is working to support McCormick residents and preserve the McCormick community during and after the renovation process, regardless of the time of delay. Friedrich said that MIT is “working together with the McCormick community to determine programming needs and envision the use of common spaces after the renovation.” He also shared that the input from residents is helping the design team create “refreshed spaces that reflect the character and community of this iconic residence.”
According to Radovitzky, the purposes of the McCormick Hall Transition Team are to gather resident feedback about what the building itself should look like after the renovation and about how to meet the needs of McCormick residents while the physical building is closed. The McCormick Renewal Project FAQ page on the HRS website states that part of the planning for the renovation period includes the establishment of women-only floors in Tang Hall for McCormick residents who request this type of housing.
Radovitzky and the McCormick Hall Transition Team have begun to plan how to maintain community among McCormick residents during the renovation so that the culture of the community is preserved and the community can be fully reestablished in McCormick at the end of the renovation period.
Any further questions about the McCormick Renewal Project can be emailed to mccormick-renewal@mit.edu.