Yoonjeong (Gina) Yang’ 24
The long-awaited new St. Mark’s residence hall is on track to open its doors for the first time after the Thanksgiving break. The facility opening was initially fixed for mid-October but was subject to postponement, much to the disappointment of an expectant community. However, given that fundamental safety and security infrastructure would not be in place on time, rescheduling was unavoidable to ensure that all students and faculty see the new residence hall at its best from the start. The new building will honor the "school under one roof" idea conceived by St. Mark's founder, Joseph Burnett, ensuring significantly increased campus capacity for pupils and teachers alike. In addition, the new dormitory is symbolic of healing, reunion, and reconnection within the wider community, representing a tangible return to normalcy after the disruption of Covid-19.
Planning Board and Conservation Commission approval to construct the 90,000 square feet three-story residence hall was granted to St. Mark's last fall. Standard building components, like structural steel, metal roof trusses, and timber framing, have been integrated with more sustainable materials to meet St. Mark's ongoing commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. The new dormitory will soon welcome approximately 150 students, accommodated in a mix of single and double rooms, and provide a base for 12 faculty departments. Beyond its core residential function, the building will also feature an extensive lounge equipped for a substantial student body, full kitchen and cooking facilities, a laundry room on each floor, and seven group study rooms; three on both the second and third floors and one on the first.
St. Mark's has also moved to allay any logistical concerns related to moving across from the existing facility to the main campus. To streamline the entire process, the services of a specialist moving company have been secured, whereby all students who pre-pack their belongings before departure will have their boxes tagged, removed, and delivered to their new rooms to coincide with their return after Thanksgiving. All personal effects will await students in their new dorms, closing the circle on a seamless transition. The new dawn of a freshly-invigorated, more closely-bonded community beckons for the St. Mark's community with the impending advent of this extraordinary new space for life and learning.