Current first years are the first class to live in the newly constructed Battell Hall on the North end of Battell Beach. The building, which towers over the northern side of campus, houses approximately 300 new students — 41% of the class of 2029 — and 14 Resident Assistants (RAs). It’s the largest first year dorm to date, complete with air conditioning, spacious lounges, flat screen televisions, new furniture, vast windows, kitchens on every floor and a ping-pong table.
Meanwhile, its predecessor and namesake, Battell, now fondly dubbed “O.G Battell” or “Vintage Battell” by its residents, continues to accommodate roughly 33% of the fall first year class. With an exterior covered in picturesque shrubbery, a reputation for chaos (and sometimes mold), and a loyal following of nostalgic alumni and upperclassmen, the building stands in stark contrast to its new neighbor. But its residents don’t seem to mind.
Ella Metri ’29 said that she was briefly disappointed when she opened her housing portal and learned she had been placed in the older building. But after spending the orientation period there, her feelings towards the building completely changed.
“I love how cozy it is, I love the spirit, the energy, the people, the dorm as a whole is really great,” Metri said. “I would choose this dorm over new Battell.”
Ruby Ly ’26, the head Residential Assistant (RA) of Original Battell, said her role in the old dorm is special to her.
“I had a great experience my freshman year, and some of my team members are seniors who have also had their fair share of Battell experiences,” Ly said. “We wanted to create a culture that made students feel that it is a place with lots of culture and history, somewhere they want to be.”
Original Battell underwent light renovations over the summer, with minor changes throughout the building to improve the living experience inside, according to Associate Dean for Student Life AJ Place. Facilities staff repainted the main lounge, bathroom and entrance doors, and replaced furniture and games in the main lounge and several smaller lounges. Some kitchens also received minor upgrades, including new refrigerators.
Place wrote to The Campus that the third floor of Original Battell, nicknamed “the monastery” for its former all-male occupancy, is currently vacant and will house incoming Febs in the spring, along with Allen Hall. After this year, it will be demolished and later replaced by a new art museum.
The first floor of the south section now houses the Care Management office and the office of Joe Russell, associate vice president and dean of students, who was previously located in Stewart Hall. Students have access to Russell’s therapy dog, Obi-Wan.
Head RA of the new Battell Hall Sebastian Cruz ’27, who lived in Original Battell as a first year, commented on the dynamic between the two buildings.
“I think because of the large differences between the two, some students may feel jealous of their peers who are living in the new one,” he said. “We are trying to be very inviting and encouraging of people to use the space and invite their friends.”
On a rainy Saturday afternoon, groups of first years — some residents of the new building and others visitors from Original Battell — competed in a game of ping pong on the first floor as others gathered around a table in a lounge on the third floor, enjoying the ramen noodles they’d prepared in the kitchen with a view of Battell Beach. The flat screen television in the room was turned off as the students ate and chatted.
“I like coming here [Battell Hall] a lot because I’ve made a lot of friends here and there are such nice facilities,” Paul Marzella ’29, an Original Battell resident, said. “Not to throw shade on [Original Battell’s] facilities, but these are more modern.”
“[New Battell] is gorgeous, it was very easy to adjust. My room is nicer than my room back home,” Kai Arrowood ’29, a Battell Hall resident, said.
Move-in day looked different across the two dorms. At Original Battell, orientation leaders helped quickly move belongings into rooms, with the loop in front of the building making for a smooth transition for students and families who came with loaded cars.
The process at Battell Hall fared differently.
“I had to wait in a line of cars for two hours, and the elevator broke, it was pretty chaotic,” Arrowood said. “They had us drive on the road by the Chateau, park on the grass near Coffrin, and then walk up here.”
Several Original Battell residents spoke to the sense of community that formed quickly in its storied halls.
“People actually have their doors open and talk to each other,” Eliza Loewald ’29 said.
“I had heard that this [dorm] was more social, has more character, and the people are better,” Ava McCauley ’29 said.
Other students echoed the sentiment, emphasizing how residents have been open to forming community and new friendships.
“In O.G. Battell, obviously there is more history there, but at the same time, a lot of people are just out and about and will say hi and smile at you,” Original Battell resident Paul Marzella ’29 said.
Original Battell resident George Hallowell ’29 characterized the rivalry between the dorms as playful.
“It’s become like a joking battle where they [Battell Hall residents] will tease us about what’s working versus not in our dorm, and we’ll push back by saying vibes are better,” Hallowell said.
Editor’s Note: Editor-in-Chief Madeleine Kaptein ’25.5 contributed reporting to this article.
Norah Khan '27 (she/her) is an News Editor.
Norah has previously served as a Arts & Culture Editor. She is majoring in Political Science and English, with minor in Spanish. Outside of The Campus, she is involved with Matriculate as an Advising Fellow and the Conflict Transformation Collaborative as a Conflict Coaching Peer Facilitator.
