With Classes Underway, An Update On Boston University's $550M Dorm Renovation Project

BOSTON, MA — The start of the academic year at colleges and universities across the state brought up an interesting benchmark for one major project in Boston.

Boston University’s Warren Towers are currently entering a new phase of construction. The project, a $550 million renovation, is the nation’s second-largest non-military dorm.

Shawmut Design and Construction is leading the multi-year modernization project in partnership with architect Miller Dyer Spears and Owner’s Project Manager LeftField Project Management.

They are tasked with a renovation that spans all three 18-story towers and is scheduled for completion in summer 2028.

To minimize disruption, officials said, Shawmut is implementing a phased plan under which two towers remain occupied while one tower at a time is closed for renovation. Tower A is currently offline through summer 2026, with Tower B and Tower C scheduled for successive renovations in 2026–2027 and 2027–2028, respectively.

Warren Towers is one of the most visible dormitories in the U.S., located on Boston’s busy Commonwealth Avenue alongside the MBTA Green Line near Kenmore Square, Fenway Park and Back Bay. Built in the 1960s, the traditional-style residence has long been home to 1,800 undergraduate students, officials said.

“As a firm rooted in Boston and trusted to deliver complex projects on active urban campuses, we are proud to partner with BU to bring this legendary residence hall into the 21st century,” said Kevin Sullivan, Executive Vice President of Shawmut Design and Construction’s New England Region.

The first phase, focused on Tower A and the adjacent dining hall, includes complete remodeling of student rooms and lounges with new walls, floors, ceilings, doors, lighting and electrical devices. Each residence room will feature air conditioning, while corridors and common spaces will receive new finishes and lighting. Existing bathrooms are being replaced with private, accessible, all-gender facilities.

Additional upgrades include new plumbing, IT infrastructure, and security systems, as well as a fully renovated dining hall outfitted with new cooking equipment, furniture and serveries.

The building exterior is undergoing full masonry repair and restoration, with all windows being replaced and insulation added to exterior walls and roof areas to meet current energy codes. Roof systems, including drainage, are also being replaced to ensure long-term performance.

Each residential tower will be offline for approximately 15 months before reopening in time for the following fall semester. With Tower A closed, the university has arranged housing for 595 first-year students at its Fenway Campus.

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