The Board of Trustees Committee on Finance, Business, and Capital Planning convened this morning to tackle a lengthy agenda with one of the first items being the recommendation to approve the second phase of the East Halls renovation project, which will bring another new building and two more complete renovations to East.

The new building will be erected along Curtin Road, where the sand volleyball court is located now. Pictured above, the building will match the other new building going up in the north part of East Halls and looks similar to the Creamery (Rodney A. Erickson Food Sciences Building).

The new, yet-to-be-named building will bring 413 beds to East, primarily laid out in double rooms, as well as private bathrooms and lounge areas similar to the most recent South Hall buildings (i.e. Chace). Pennypacker and McKean Halls will see significant renovations similar to what is currently being done to Stuart Hall.

This phase of the East Halls upgrade will cost $106 million, which Associate VP of Physical Plant Ford Stryker said will come from self-supported borrowing and Housing and Food Services reserves.

The updates will also improve the overall layout of East and some of the utilities there. According to Stryker, part of the update will include updated recreation areas and improved parking lots and sidewalks to accommodate for the new buildings and layout.

Phase 1c of the East Halls renovation, which will initiate updates on the towers, will be brought to the Board for approval next year. Stryker said the Office of Physical Plant is submitting the renovation plans phase-by-phase to the Board as it works its way through updating East and Pollock Halls.

Phase 1a of the East Halls renovation is long underway, with the first new building — Earle Hall, which is located along Park Ave. — nearing structural completion. The proposal won’t be official until the full Board votes on it tomorrow in its meeting, but there’s no reason to believe this new phase won’t be approved. These renovations will also impact the increased room and board rate the the Committee approved just a few items later.