Skip to Main Content
Boston University
  • Bostonia
  • BU Today
  • The Brink
  • University Publications

    • Bostonia
    • BU Today
    • The Brink
  • School & College Publications

    • The Record
Other Publications
BU Today
  • Sections
News, Research, Community

A Peek Inside What’s Happening at Warren Towers

Photos record progress on BU’s three-year, $550 million renovation

University News

A Peek Inside What’s Happening at Warren Towers

Photos record progress on BU’s three-year, much-anticipated renovation

February 5, 2026
  • BU Today staff
  • Jackie Ricciardi
Twitter Facebook

BU Today recently got an exclusive tour of Boston University’s biggest construction project, the renovation of Warren Towers, alongside BU’s Planning, Design & Construction team. 

Work this semester continues on Tower A, scheduled to reopen to incoming freshmen in fall 2026. When it does, residents will find extensive upgrades, including new plumbing and security systems, air conditioning, student lounges and gathering spaces, and entirely new walls, floors, ceilings, lighting, and electrical systems. 

Warren Towers, Boston University’s largest residence hall—and the second-largest nonmilitary dorm in the country—comprises three towers, each 18 stories tall. Home to 1,795 students (most of them underclassmen), it was opened in 1966, although Tower C wasn’t completed until a year later. The construction manager of the project is Shawmut Design & Construction.

The renovation project is expected to be completed in summer 2028. The photos below, taken on our recent tour, chart work done so far.

The view from Tower A shows crews installing and assembling scaffolding on Tower B’s north, south, east, and west façades in preparation for the next phase of construction. Some preparations for Tower B’s work were finished in December 2025 and will start up again in May through August 2027.

Construction continues on the new mechanical penthouse and emergency electric room atop Tower A.

Crews added new insulation to interior walls to bring the building up to current energy code, says John Barton, executive director of major capital projects, who led the tour.

Warren Towers’ brick façade has not undergone major renovations since its original construction. As part of the project, the building’s brick masonry will be repointed, repaired, and cleaned.

Bathrooms throughout Warren Towers will be converted from gendered multi-stall rooms to all-gender single-user rooms, each equipped with a toilet, sink, and shower. Most of the new bathrooms will be fully accessible.

Warren Towers will be fully electric. Upgrades include card-entry access for all rooms (eliminating physical keys), air conditioning in sleeping rooms and some common areas; and new dimmable LED lighting. “These new LED lights are designed so they won’t spill into your roommate’s side,” says Barton.
Existing windows will be replaced with triple-glazed operable windows and aluminum surrounds, significantly improving the building’s energy efficiency.
“All doors were replaced and widened to ensure they are ADA [Americans with Disabilities Act] compliant,” Barton says.
Barton says between 150 and 200 workers are on site at any given time. “As they go on, efficiency has picked up,” he says. “They’re also learning lessons that they’ll take with them to other towers.”

Explore Related Topics:

  • Construction
  • Share this story

Share

A Peek Inside What’s Happening at Warren Towers

Share

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • Email

Latest from BU Today

  • New Appointment

    New University Librarian Aims to Create the Library of the Future, With the Community’s Help

  • 25th Anniversary of 9/11

    Mitchell Zuckoff Wrote Boston Globe Stories about 9/11

  • 25th Anniversary of 9/11

    September 11 – 25 Years Later, BU Experts Discuss

  • Things-to-do

    This Weekend @ BU: September 10 to 13

  • Varsity Sports

    BU Men’s Soccer to Host Army West Point in Patriot League Home Opener Saturday

  • Class of 2030

    A Snapshot of BU’s Class of 2030

  • Internship

    BU Launchpad Connects Rising Sophomores with Valuable Summer Internships

  • Study Abroad

    BU Study Abroad Expo

  • Just For Fun

    Eight Boston Experiences Every BU First-Year Should Try

  • Students

    Where to Eat When You’re Hungry at BU

  • Scholarships

    Boston University’s 2026 Menino Scholars and Community Leaders Scholars Arrive Ready to Change Their World

  • 10 BU Hacks Every Terrier Should Know

  • Student Life

    Everything You Need to Know about Splash (and Why You Should Attend)

  • Film & TV

    “Tony” – Anthony Bourdain Biopic of Iconic Chef and TV Host

  • Your Guide to BU Student Discounts, Freebies, and Terrier Card Perks

  • This Weekend @ BU: September 3 to 7

  • Clubs

    Design, Build, Drive: Meet Terrier Motorsport

  • Meet Boston University’s New Provost, Colin Duckett

  • Students

    Your First Year at BU: A Guide for International Students

  • University News

    Boston University Matriculation 2026: Welcome Class of 2030!

Section navigation

  • Sections
  • Must Reads
  • Videos
  • Series
  • Close ups
  • Archives
  • About + Contact
Get Our Email

Explore Our Publications

Bostonia

Boston University’s Alumni Magazine

BU Today

News, Research, Community

The Brink

Pioneering Research from Boston University

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • Weibo
  • TikTok
© Boston University. All rights reserved. www.bu.edu
© 2026 Trustees of Boston UniversityPrivacy StatementAccessibility
Boston University
Notice of Non-Discrimination: Boston University prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, natural or protective hairstyle, religion, sex or gender, age, national origin, ethnicity, shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, military service, marital, parental, veteran status, or any other legally protected status in any and all educational programs or activities operated by Boston University. Retaliation is also prohibited. Please refer questions or concerns about Title IX, discrimination based on any other status protected by law or BU policy, or retaliation to Boston University’s Executive Director of Equal Opportunity/Title IX Coordinator, at titleix@bu.edu or (617) 358-1796. Read Boston University’s full Notice of Nondiscrimination.
Search
Boston University Masterplate
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
A Peek Inside What’s Happening at Warren Towers
0
share this