The floor in the freshman hallway and surrounding area received a face-lift this past summer, repairing the previously uneven subflooring and carpeting. The carpeting was replaced with a light grey, luxury vinyl planking in hopes of enlivening the space and being a more efficient material for flooring. The Dial Editorial Board commends the administration for making a move to improve the space.

According to Philip Variano, Associate Headmaster, the carpet in the freshman hallway has been changed annually, and this year, with an allowance from the money used for improvements during the summer, it was decided that it was time for a change in material. The old carpet was ripped out in early August, and the flooring was done in the middle of August.

Regarding the new material, Head of the Upper School, Andrew King said, “I think it’s an improvement. I think it’s more durable, I think it’s more practical, I think it’s going to be cleaner and safer.”

Since the vinyl is a harder material, it is more dependable and will not need to be replaced as often as carpeting. Carpeting tends to catch dirt, dust, and other grimy particles, and on top of that general mess the carpeting in the freshman hallway held water and moisture from leaky pipes. The new vinyl material does not catch and hold anything allowing for easier cleaning and there is no risk of mold, making it more hygienic.

There have been calls from students in past years asking for renovations in the notoriously dark and dingy hallway, and this revamp was a step to improve the space. The color was chosen, with the help of Ms. Coy, to brighten up the space. “It’s really nice,” said freshman Quinn Epstein-O’Halloran, “… it’s much better than the old one I saw when I came to shadow a buddy for a day.”

Fixing the floor was a grievance that is one of the easiest to fix without taking on a huge construction job. ”We would love to eliminate the pipes and raise the ceiling a little bit but it’s essentially impossible to do that. It’s always going to be a basement,” Variano explained. “We’d love to have a bigger, higher ceiling, window scenario but that’s just impossible.”

Previous efforts to fix the space included putting extension cords in the outlets to allow more students to charge their devices at one time, but there was nothing else done to fix the leaking pipes, smelly carpet, and dreary space other than a mural done by the Class of 2020 that has since been taken down. Though there is still more to be done to improve the quality of the space, which would include management of the leaky pipes running throughout the space, the Dial Editorial Board is pleased that the administration has recognized student complaints and has taken this step in the right direction.