McCormick Renewal Project

Project Information, Engagement & Outreach


McCormick has been selected as the next residential renewal project as part of MIT’s 2030 campus renovation and renewal plan.

McCormick is anticipated to go offline after MIT’s 2025 Commencement exercises and will remain unoccupied for the duration of the renewal period, which is expected to last for two academic years. 

Throughout the design process, the Division of Student Life (DSL), Housing & Residential Services (HRS), and the project team will engage the house team and resident student leaders to ensure that the McCormick Hall Transition Team (MHTT) works with the architects and provides input on the student life program elements of the design.

About the Project

  • McCormick Hall will be temporarily closed beginning in the summer of 2025 until fall 2027. Given the residence’s importance to the student experience at MIT, a planned renewal to target aging building systems is underway to preserve the building’s historical charm while meeting modern accessibility standards. The McCormick Transition Team–comprised of student leaders in the residence, the heads of house, and staff from DSL–is carefully planning the temporary closure of the building.

McCormick Hall Transition Team

Purpose: Plan for the transition of the McCormick Hall community by:

  • Raising renewal-related issues and developing strategies to address them
  • Working through relocation logistics including housing assignments, community event and gathering spaces, storage of community belongings, documenting the house history, culture, and artwork, and other student and staff needs
  • Providing input on the project designs in student and residential spaces; and
  • Ensuring effective communication with the McCormick community
  • Contact the MCHTT: mchtt@mit.edu

Anticipated Timeline

McCormick Hall Community Support Plan

While a recent survey of current McCormick residents confirmed that dedicated housing for women only is a necessary accommodation (8% of respondents), a significant number of McCormick residents (92% of respondents) indicated that they would be somewhat comfortable or comfortable living on a mixed gender floor as long as there is access to women-only restrooms on the floor. To accommodate these needs and preferences, DSL has developed a community support plan.

McCormick Hall Renewal FAQ

McCormick Hall (W4) was constructed in the 1960s as a residence for women, and building systems are in need of renewal. 

  • Absolutely. With all renewal projects, DSL assembles a Transition Team, which includes house team members, student residents, and DSL staff. The group will help to:
    • identify student and community needs, 
    • surface renewal-related issues and develop strategies to address them, 
    • work through logistics of relocation, 
    • provide input to project plans as needed, and communicate with key stakeholders in McCormick. 
    • Students interested in joining the Transition Team should reach out to the McCormick house team.
  • The project is expected to begin in June 2025, with an anticipated reopening in late summer 2027 for the 2027-2028 academic year.
  • While the full scope of the project has yet to be finalized, the renewal is anticipated to include targeted infrastructure and building systems updates along with a refresh of finishes and furnishings in McCormick’s student spaces. We’ve heard from residents about the importance of preserving the historical features and share that priority. Accessibility building codes will dictate the reconfiguration of some spaces. Throughout the design process, DSL and the project team will engage the McCormick Transition Team to work with the architects and provide input on the student life program elements of the design.
  • The McCormick Annex (W2) is an important part of the McCormick community. While the Annex will not be a part of renewal , student rooms and spaces will be refreshed, and targeted facility improvements will be made.

Yes. All residents, both students and staff, of McCormick Hall will need to move out when the building closes in Summer 2025. An empty building allows work to be completed more efficiently and avoids impacts on residents, such as utility shutdowns, multiple relocations, and noise.

Housing Intent Process/Building Switch Lottery: February 5 – February 26, 2025. Results will be released on March 19, 2025. 

  • McCormick Hall residents will have priority in the switch lottery process.
  • HRS will work to move groups of up to 8 McCormick Hall students into the same building
  • When possible, HRS will move two connected groups of up to 8 McCormick students together (16 total).
  • Room assignments will be made according to in-house processes.
  • McCormick Hall students will be able to rank all UG residential options along with indicating interest in living in graduate housing. 

HRS will work with individual students for housing accommodations based on religious needs through the supplemental housing request process.

We have worked with the leadership of Tang Hall to provide women-only floors. We will share more detailed information about this option as the housing intent process for 2025-2026 housing approaches opens in the spring. 

  • There will not be a swing building. Residence halls at MIT have their own unique identities, and reserving large blocks of space in one residence for another independently functioning residence would be disruptive to both communities, making it difficult to maintain cohesive house identities. DSL works with each community going through the renewal process to provide funding, access to space, and staff support to ensure the continuity of community programs and traditions. At the same time, we encourage students to expand their communities by forming new relationships in their new residences.
  • The transition team is heavily focusing on McCormick Hall's unique role as a residential community for women and developing strategies to support housing options that meet students' needs.
  • As with the New House, Burton Conner, and East Campus renewal projects, students who lived in McCormick Hall during Spring 2025 and moved to other undergraduate residential halls or off campus during the renewal project will be guaranteed housing in McCormick when it reopens (Fall 2027). This assumes the student is still within their eight semesters of guaranteed housing eligibility and has not taken a leave of absence between Spring 2025 and McCormick’s reopening. 
  • If a student takes a leave of absence or separates from the Institute, they will need to apply to the housing waitlist (current policy) to return to on-campus housing. So long as the student has returned to on-campus housing by Spring 2026, they will be prioritized in the building switch process to return to McCormick for the planned opening in Fall 2027.
  • Because the McCormick Hall renewal is a multi-year project, the expectation is that students will be supported by the heads of house and house teams in the residences to which they move. McCormick will continue to have representation on DormCon and with the Undergraduate Association during the length of the renewal project. They will also have access to the McCormick heads of house and area director, who are provided with on-campus housing throughout renewal.
  • GRAs who will be continuing on in their program at MIT during the construction period will be given the option to apply to be a GRA in another MIT undergraduate residence hall, or may choose to move to MIT graduate housing or an off-campus apartment. GRAs who remain on campus can apply to be a Community Liaison, for which they would receive a stipend (see following description).
  • A community liaison, typically from the house, will be responsible for convening members of the McCormick community, such as hosting study breaks, outings, and other social get-togethers.
  • House funds will be available to help maintain the community through events. The McCormick house team will work with DSL colleagues and departments to reserve space for community programs. Other houses have made recurring space reservations to provide consistent programming throughout renewal.
  • McCormick’s area director will be given the option to apply for open positions in other houses or in DSL if they so choose. Alternatively, they will be given a special assignment and continue to live on campus to support the community during the two-year house renewal period.
  • House operations managers will be eligible to take on other similar duties in DSL during the renewal period.
  • Heads of house will be provided housing on campus and will stay involved with the McCormick community by hosting and/or participating in community activities. They may also support DSL initiatives relevant to residential life, such as serving on committees and working groups.
  • As noted above, relocated students will be supported by the heads of house and house teams in their new residences.
  • In the final year of the renewal project, the DSL and the heads of house will form a reopening committee, which will engage a core group of student leaders from the community to develop a plan for returning to the house when it opens.

Yes! The DSL team is prepared to work with McCormick leaders on how to approach REX and CPW during the renewal period. Other houses have successfully hosted events during renewal that generated interest in the community and built a cohort of new students to join upon reopening.

No decisions about future renewal projects have been made at this time.

A survey of residents will launch in November to help us better understand the needs and preferences of McCormick residents. We encourage all students to respond.

Yes, there will be a dedicated McCormick lounge in W20.

  • Halal options exist at other residence dining halls and retail locations across campus.  Retail locations include: Pacific Street Cafe, Hayden Cafe, and Tawakal.  You can learn more at this Dining website.  
  • Dining is currently working to identify which dining hall will regularly have full Halal meals during the renovation.