Branford living will be 'suite' after renovations

Bunk beds will be a distant memory for Branfordians once their college's renovations are completed in the year 2000. The recently released plans for Branford include larger doubles as well as "senior suites," which will feature a common room combined with a number of single bedrooms.

Currently, Branford housing features two options: a single bedroom, or a suite with a mixture of singles and doubles. There is an overall capacity for 251 Branfordians, with 67 students living in single bedrooms, 94 students living in singles within suites, and 86 students living in doubles within suites.

After the renovations are completed, the capacity of Branford will increase--and so will the options for its residents. Branford will be able to house 261 students, with 36 students living in single bedrooms, 82 in suite singles, 100 in suite doubles, and 43 in the newly-created "senior suites." This increased capacity will be achieved by converting some of the large singles and common rooms into doubles. Although there will be 14 more students living in doubles, all of the doubles will be large enough that bunk beds will not be necessary.

Hiro Suzuki, BR '00, said that the decrease in individual singles and the creation of "senior suites" will improve Branford's atmosphere. "They will create a sense of community within Branford, especially within the senior circle," he said.

One proposed change that Branfordians may not find as appealing is a plan to join the Branford basement with Saybrook's, which is due for renovation the year after Branford. According to Heather Herbert of the Boston-based architectural firm Perry Dean Rogers & Partners, which is handling the renovation plans for both colleges, the purpose of joining the basements is for the convenience of handicapped students--not for the sharing of facilities.

"There will be a path that goes the entire circumference of both colleges, but this won't mean students will have access [to all the facilities of each college]," Herbert said. "It will be more for the accessibility of the handicapped."

Adam Gordon, BR '00, a member of the Branford renovation committee which will advise the architects, is cautiously optimistic about the joining of the basements. "The idea of connecting the basements of Branford and Saybrook is good, but I'm worried it's just an excuse to share facilities," he said. "As long as Branford and Saybrook students continue to have their own things, like laundry rooms, I think it will be okay to connect the colleges under those conditions."

Raj Pal, BR '98, agreed. "I think [the basement connection] will foster positive relations between Saybrook and Branford for years to come."

An elevator will also be installed in Branford's main courtyard to increase handicapped accessibility. Other new features include a two-story library and a relocated Dean's office and Dean's apartment.

Since the plans are still not set and will continue to be examined and altered this year, Branford Dean Nicole Parisier hopes that Branfordians will become more active in the process before the renovations begin in the summer of 1999. "Branford had an eight student advisory committee last year, and I would love more students to participate [in advising] this year," she said.

According to Pal, whose room had a leak earlier this month, the renovations are much needed. "I think [the renovations] are long overdue. It'll make life for Branford students pleasant," he said.

Gordon also felt the changes would be positive in the long run. "I think Branford is beautiful as it is and hopefully the renovations will preserve that beauty, though the structure will be changed," he said.

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