The Dow Hotel and Conference Center will undergo major renovations later this year, involving significant changes to Rooms A and B as well as rooms on the second floor.
“We want to create a desirable space with a classical style that helps to make it more coherent with the rest of campus,” Chief Administrative Officer Rich Péwé said. “A and B were built in 1967, and when you walk in there you feel like you’re in 1967. Hopefully by the start of the fall semester of 2021, we’ll be grateful to have a banquet room that feels like a banquet room.”
The goal is to reimagine the space, creating something more comfortable and architecturally pleasing for guests and students of the college, according to Director of Hospitality and Operations Aaron Tracey.
The college also seeks to create another facility for smaller events, presentations, and meetings that don’t need the Searle Center’s capacity, plus a space to showcase historical artifacts donated to the college, according to Péwé.
Tracey added that the college intends to create a space consistent with the style of the renovated Dow hotel rooms, Searle Center, and Plaster Auditorium.
Tracey said the changes to Dow A and B will include “a beautiful new glass ceiling above to allow for natural light, a grand stairway on the north wall that allows guests to enter a wraparound balcony above a fireplace in the south wall, and banquet seating for 120 people.” This will allow for, as Péwé mentioned, “an enjoyable space, which could include up to 200 people, depending on the event.”
The main inspiration behind the renovation is obtaining a space with a classical aesthetic. To do this, Péwé said Hillsdale is relying upon the expertise of classical architect James McCrery.
Sophomore Alisa Boersma, a student who works in the Dow Hotel, said she is glad to hear that the college is turning its attention to the building.
“I think it’s long overdue, as it is very outdated in comparison to the guest rooms and other conference rooms,” Boersma said. “Renovating it will give the whole hotel a facelift and will also benefit students, since several different club meetings are held in there.”
