Josh Imhof | news editor

After months of anticipation, closed signs and construction workers across campus, the Bluff has gotten a face lift.

Over the summer, and in some cases over the past year, multiple sites on campus have undergone major renovations, including the Rev. Sean Hogan Dining Hall, Gumberg Library and Vickroy Hall.

The renovations, which totaled $22.5 million, are part of a campus-wide investment in student experience, according to Media and Communications Manager Rose Ravasio.

Hogan’s $10-million updates were officially unveiled on Monday afternoon to a crowd of more than 100 during a ribbon cutting ceremony. Once inside, students and staff were greeted by a completely redesigned dining hall.

The interior features new tables, chairs, lighting and booths that give students a variety of options when deciding where to eat, with some areas converted into study rooms for those looking to eat and work away from others.

Some students, like freshman Bryce McGuire, have already warmed up to the changes. McGuire toured Hogan before its renovations and said it had a completely different feel.

“I got to see other dining halls and compare it a little bit,” said McGuire. “It was very dim. … I like how much brighter it is.”

Many of the food sections have also undergone major renovations, like the allergen-free section, which now sits behind the main entrance of Hogan. The section is now completely separate from any other stations, decreasing the risk of cross contamination.

Senior Andrew Pearce said he no longer has a meal plan but came to check out the updates. He said he was happy that the university listened to student feedback and made changes before the start of school.

“I feel like the old Hogan looked pretty old … It’s like ‘Oh we have Hogan. It has its charm,’” Pearce said. “But now it has this new charm.”

Others, like freshman Yasair Ismaeli, said they felt the space was welcoming as a new student.

“It’s beginner-friendly,” Ismaeli said. “It’s a nice layout.”

At Gumberg, creating a welcoming environment was an important goal, said Dean of Libraries Sara Baron.

“Libraries have changed. … Students think of the library as a welcoming space, as a home away from home so to speak,” Baron said. “We like to think of the library as a hub for academic exploration, as well as community and collaboration.”

Renovations kicked off at Gumberg last year when the library unveiled sweeping changes to the fourth floor, including new lighting, furniture, study spaces and a revamped curriculum center.

This year, construction crews tackled the fifth floor.

The space features brand-new windows that offer open views of the Gormley Student Union and Locust Street, which Baron said marks a significant departure from the few windows the floor used to have.

Law student Katelyn Waranavage said that she typically spends between one and two hours a day at the library, so the changes are more than welcome.

“In the law school, there’s not a lot of spaces with windows,” she said. “I like all the natural light.”

In addition to this, the space has been outfitted with brand new tables, chairs and couches many of which have wheels on the bottom for students to move them around based on their needs. These new additions allow the floor to accommodate 100 more students, Baron said.

“We have a little bit of everything, so whatever students are looking for is available,” Baron said.

Renovations for Gumberg added up to $3.5 million.

Originally built as a parking garage in 1978, the library has seen incremental improvements over the past decade, but Baron hopes to keep the momentum going to eventually tackle the first and second floors, which house the university archives and most of the library’s books.

“We would love to improve that space and really make it more fitting for how special it is,” she said.

While it was built more recently, Vickroy Hall has also undergone major changes.

The lobby has been redesigned, complete with a new front desk, lighting and flooring. Each residential floor now has an additional washing machine and received new carpet and wall paint. Students rooms have also been renovated with completely remodeled bathrooms and new cabinets.

“The feel was just really outdated,” Lahoda said. “It was time for an update.”

Renovations for Vickroy came in at $9 million.

The residence hall closed for the entirety of the 2025-2026 academic year, as well as for most of the summer. Lahoda said it was necessary to make sure crews could complete all of their work.

“We took our time,” Lahoda said. “You can’t cram things.”

Josh Imhof can be reached at imhofj@duq.edu