Northeastern University White Hall Planning Study Boston, MA

Northeastern University discovered significant water damage impacting the structure and interior and exterior brick walls of White Hall. The five-story residence hall was immediately closed, and the University was challenged to find alternative housing for incoming students. Given Northeastern was in the midst of an institutional master planning process, the need for additional on-campus student beds to accommodate projected enrollment growth was clear.

While facilities staff explored the costs of repairing the existing building, Landwise Advisors worked with architects at Sasaki to look at potential new-build scenarios for the site. Landwise served as the project manager, and was responsible for contextualizing costs over the project's life expectancy looking at both up front capital project costs, as well as operating costs. Cost estimates were presented both as a total, as well as per bed. Sasaki was responsible for the site analysis, regulatory review, potential unit typologies, and test-fits on the site. The team made a recommendation that White Hall be replaced with a larger residence hall, rather than repaired. Senior leadership made the decision to pursue replacement and a new construction project has been added to the Institutional Master Plan.