The Warren Towers renovation marks one of BU’s most exciting transformation projects yet. From upgraded living spaces and sustainable systems to new student amenities, the work will set a new standard for campus living. Explore the FAQs below to learn more about what’s changing and how we’re keeping the community informed along the way.
A project of this size and magnitude on an urban campus is bound to have pain points and cause some disruptions. Can you talk about where people might experience some disruptions or changes while construction is ongoing, so the community can be prepared as much as possible?
With a project of this size—hundreds of workers operating in a confined space—some disruptions are inevitable. However, we are committed to minimizing any inconvenience as much as possible.
There will be times when the work will be noisy, which is why the work does not begin until 9 am each day. Our thinking is that most students will be out of their rooms and involved in their academic or work activities. We also recognize the importance of clear and timely communication, and we’re actively working to enhance our outreach efforts. Our goal is to keep building occupants and nearby offices well informed so they can anticipate any impacts.
The Project Team is dedicated to making this process as smooth as possible. We are continuously evaluating our approach, learning from each phase, and looking for ways to improve as we start working on Tower A. The lessons learned will be applied to the project’s future phases (B Tower and C Tower).
Can you explain why the A Tower work is happening first?
The project began with A Tower, which is nearest to the Dining Hall. We needed to perform critical mechanical work to support the Dining Hall renovation, which is one of the main reasons we chose to start at A Tower.
Will the project affect housing assignments?
We do not anticipate any impacts to student housing assignments.
How will Boston University handle housing arrangements for displaced students during construction phases?
For fall 2026, plans are to assign the 595 students from Warren Towers (B Tower) to the Fenway Campus. Fenway will continue to be a first-year student campus and will be broadly supported by the Office of Residence Life. Continuing students will be offered other spaces on campus.
While each tower is under construction, will the other towers be open to house summer residents?
No. During the summer months, all of Warren Towers will remain closed to maintain the aggressive construction schedule and to minimize the noise impact on residents.
What are the most significant changes students will notice to the building?
The sleeping rooms will be renovated to include new flooring, improved lighting, air conditioning, new furniture, electronic locks, and new operable windows. The bathrooms will be completely renovated from gendered multiuser rooms to all-gender single rooms with a toilet, sink, and shower. Each floor will continue to have a lounge with new finishes and AC, similar to the sleeping rooms.
The Dining Hall and the student common areas on the fourth floor will also be renovated. The common areas will be reconfigured to add more meeting and activity spaces.
There have been some problems with elevators and escalators. Are those resolved?
The project does replace the escalators. The elevator cabins will be refurbished and the existing electronics will be upgraded.
Is only the interior of the building affected, or will any construction also affect how the outside of the building looks?
The windows and their surrounds at the towers and the fourth floor will be replaced with triple-glazed operable windows and aluminum surrounds, to provide a more energy-efficient envelope. The brick masonry will also be repointed, repaired, and cleaned. All roofs will be replaced and a metal panel roof screen will be added at the top of each tower to mask the new mechanical equipment.
The sidewalks at Commonwealth Avenue will be regraded to provide accessible entries into all retail stores. Some new planters with trees will be added to facilitate this improvement. A new canopy will be installed along Commonwealth Avenue, and new storefronts will be provided for the ground floor retail stores and the building entrance, as well as new wall treatments at the street level.
New streetscape design will bring more natural light into the building, creating a bright, open modern appearance. The glazing will have insulating abilities and have soundproofing characteristics.
What will happen to the stores (like Starbucks and Subway) on the ground floor of the building during construction?
These stores will remain open for the duration of the project. The work at the ground floor of Commonwealth Avenue, to add a new canopy and storefronts, will impact these retail stores during the project’s latter timeline.
Will the new Warren Towers complex have any interesting new features?
The bike storage area in the garage will be increased from 68 to 307 spaces.
From an electrical standpoint, each tower will be metered to track energy usage. All three towers will have generators, with emergency power also provided to the fourth floor dining and student activities spaces.
There will also be the capability for an external generator to connect to Warren Towers if we ever need to provide power to all of the facilities in an emergency situation.
Can you talk about how the buildings will be powered?
Warren Towers will be all-electric and with the BU Wind offset of our electric utility provider, it will also be net zero carbon and contribute to BU’s reducing its carbon footprint. This meets the City of Boston’s new zoning requirements for carbon emissions.
New building automation systems will be in place to control all building mechanical equipment and provide notification of systems if there is trouble. For example, concerns related to hot and cold calls can be evaluated at the control center, allowing quicker response to reported issues.
There will also be a new fire command room and fire alarm services.
People have long complained that the rooms weren’t air-conditioned. Can you explain how that will change?
Each sleeping room will have AC and will be individually controlled by a thermostat in the room.
Will access to the building change or be different in any ways?
We will continue to expand the card access system and additional security cameras will be installed. The fourth floor will have new turnstiles such as those found in many of the residence halls already, providing better security and limiting piggyback entry, but allowing more student throughput and eliminating log jams entering fourth floor Dining and rooms.
Will the rooms in Warren Towers see big changes?
Yes. Here are some examples:
- Larger windows that are operable in the suites.
- All concrete masonry walls will be covered by drywall.
- Rooms will now have sustainable floor materials.
- All the doors entering the rooms will be enlarged to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Accessible rooms will be strategically located throughout the building.
- All rooms will have card access and will no longer need keys.
- Rooms will have new furniture and LED dimmable lighting.
- Air conditioning will be added throughout the rooms and the common areas on the fourth floor.
How about bathrooms. Any changes worth mentioning?
They will be ADA-compliant. The bathrooms will be converted from gendered multiuser to all-gender single user rooms that will include a toilet, sink, and shower. Most of the new all-gender bathrooms will be accessible.
And the hallways?
The hallways will receive new finishes and lighting. New carpeting in the hallways will reduce sound transmission. There will be bottle filling stations and recycling stations. LED dimmable capability lighting will help reduce energy usage, and in the stairwells, too.
Let’s talk about the fourth floor, since so much happens up there. What are the biggest changes?
Dining Services will now have new electrical cooking equipment, and the serving stations will be renovated. Dining will also have new furnishings. The fourth-floor student activities spaces will be fully renovated to provide more lounge, exercise, and meeting spaces as well as smaller breakout rooms. The Residence Life offices will be renovated to be more welcoming to the students. There will also be a laundry room with new all-electric washers and dryers.
Are there ways for students to stay updated on the project or to ask questions about it?
This page is updated weekly with news and information about the project. More impactful or disruptive work will be communicated via BU Alert.
Who should I reach out to if I have a comment or question?
For questions, please contact Corey Corey Davidson at 508.330.8489 or cdavidson@leftfieldpm.com.