When sophomore Travis Judd returned to campus last week, he was surprised by what happened to his former residence hall.

Last year, Judd was outraged with what he and some other residents thought were poor living conditions at the International Living Center, 401 Euclid Ave. The experience, he said, turned him away from dorm life. This year, Judd lives in a South Campus apartment.

But he soon found that the ILC – infamous for its disrepair – was no more. Well, not exactly.

Now Lyons Residence Hall, the ILC received a facelift and a name change. The building has been repainted a bright white and landscaping improves its curb appeal. New furniture adorns the lounge, and carpet covers what was once a linoleum floor.

And replacing each bathroom is a set of smaller rooms, each with its own sink, toilet and glass-enclosed shower – all behind a locking door.

‘In a way, I am kind of jealous,’ Judd said, ‘but I am glad they did something about it.’

Judd was one of several students quoted in March when The Daily Orange reported poor conditions at the dorm traditionally used for housing international students.

Residents complained about the old furniture in the rooms and lounge and that the laundry facilities were dirty.

But aggressive renovations on the part of Syracuse University changed the feel of 401 Euclid Ave. and the students who now live there.

‘It was renovated awesome,’ said freshman Gerard McTigue. ‘And we get to brag about it to everyone.’

Eileen Simmons, director of Housing, Meal Plans & ID Card Services, said residence halls usually undergo a renovation every 10 years. Though work had been done in the past decade, the university recognized the need to make some improvements to the ILC, she said.

The international living-learning community has since moved to Day Hall. ‘It was just an opportunity to focus on the building because we hadn’t focused on it in a while,’ Simmons said.

Without the community, it was time for a name change.

Simmons said it was Chancellor Nancy Cantor’s idea to name the building in honor of Oren Lyons, a Faithkeeper for the Onondaga Nation, advocate for American Indian causes and SU graduate.

But even with all the renovations, some complaints residents had last year were not addressed. Their mailboxes are still located nearly two blocks away in Shaw Hall, and Lyons is still one block outside the eastern edge of campus – which many said cut freshmen off from their peers in other dorms. Some even said no freshmen should have to live there.

‘I was worried that we’d be way off campus,’ said freshman Brenna Pollak, ‘but I feel we are so close.’

Simmons said it is common for smaller residence halls like the Butterfield House, Walnut Hall and Lyons to have mailboxes in sibling buildings.

‘We usually go there for lunch and stuff anyways, so it is not too bad,’ freshman Mike Sweeney said of going to Shaw to pick up his mail.

The building also lacks water fountains, so there is nowhere to fill up a water bottle, other than using the vending machines or a nearby sink.

It is still uncertain whether freshmen will continue to be housed in this building, despite its location, Simmons said. But Lyons is in the long-term future of the university.

Still, for Judd, his impression of freshmen living at the former ILC remains the same.

‘I still find that a little weird,’ he said. ‘Though it’s a nice location, for freshmen, I don’t know, I’m not so sure.’

Published on August 29, 2007 at 12:00 pm