As Friars return to school some upperclassmen may have noticed some differences in the building.

Fenwick is finally doing away with the green- and off-white-colored rooms and small halls by raising the ceilings, installing new lighting, and most noticeably, a cooler color palette of greys and black. However, as great as it may seem, the general consensus on the remodel is mixed amongst the student body. Some believe that the renovations are unnecessary and attain unfavorable aspects. As a returning upperclassman, Haley Sweatman says, “I think it’s ugly. I just think it’s very monotone. The green added some color, this just depresses me. I don’t like how bright the lights are. It kinda makes me feel like I’m in a warehouse or something. I think it looks better but I miss the green tile, it’s nostalgic, however, this one feels more in line with the rest of
Fenwick overall.” However, it seems like the freshman body views these “changes” as favorable, as freshman Isabella Vasquez says, “It went from ‘old dingy dungeon basement,’ to ‘modern industrial dungeon basement.’” Despite the views of the student body, the halls and cafeteria are part of Fenwick’s major renovation of the school for the 100th anniversary in 2029. Other plans for the cafeteria involve expanding it into a smaller scale gymnasium and theatre. A large amount of the building is based on the original architecture from the early 20th century. Fenwick has been undergoing renovations in the hope to modernize the visuals and overall
character of the building. However, some additions are more recent than others, such as the West Wing of the building constructed in the late 1950s, the bathrooms changed to accommodate Fenwick’s first female Friars in the 1990s, and even the parking garage put into use just last year. Most of these are out of pure practicality for making sure the school is able to serve the intended function of enhancing the experience of students. It’s quite a shame the students currently in the building will no longer be in high school to experience the “new building” in the years to come, as this will be a luxury for the children of future and current alumni.