A former convent built almost half a century ago will soon become a residence hall for Bates College in Lewiston, Maine.
“Going forward, our Campus Facilities Master Plan continues to identify the strategic investments needed for Bates to remain a leading liberal arts college that attracts excellent students, faculty, and staff,” said Geoffrey Swift, vice president for finance and administration.
“Specifically, we need to invest in athletic and residential facilities, since these have not kept pace with the renovations on the academic side.”
Swift said that by creating the new residence hall, Bates “will create accessible living options for students, support the fluctuations we regularly experience in class size, and allow us to take existing residences out of service for needed repairs in future years.”
The Society of Sisters of Charity moved into the facility in 1977. The brick and glass structure originally contained 32 bedrooms, office space, a chapel with an organ, a lobby, a kitchen, a dining room and other amenities.
More student housing is on the agenda for Bates.
“Bates guarantees housing for all students for all four years of their Bates experience,” Swift said, which means the college needs to have about 1,750 beds available for students.
The construction of Chu and Kalperis halls within the last decade “helped alleviate congestion,” he said.
