2026 Move-In FAQs for Students and Families

It's an exciting time at Dartmouth, as the institution continues to make significant investments in the following key areas—Energy Transition, Undergraduate Housing, and Renewal & Renovation. While you currently see various stages of construction, these projects, once completed, will help Dartmouth modernize the campus heating and cooling infrastructure, reach our goal of 1,000 new beds over the next decade, and renovate/renew critical building infrastructure.

What specifically is being done in these three areas? 

Energy Transition: On the energy side, our teams are installing piping and electrical duct banks in multiple locations that will enable Dartmouth to transition from steam to hot-water heating. As part of this work, in June 2025, Crosby Street was closed to motor vehicles for installation of an underground distribution piping vault, which will serve as a key connection point for the network of pipes. This phase of the complex project is expected to conclude at the end of 2026.
- Following pipe installation between Reed/Bartlett halls, Topliff/New Hampshire halls, and around Wilson Hall, the team is implementing enhanced restoration in those areas, including improving the landscaping, walkways, and more. Work is ongoing now and will extend into areas near Topliff/New Hampshire halls into 2027, with the most impactful work happening in the summer of 2027.
Undergraduate Housing: The residence hall projects you see are part of a generational housing renewal effort that's designed to renovate undergraduate housing. Here's additional information on our housing commitment. 
- This fall, students will move into Fayerweather Hall, a fully renovated residence hall, and Russo Hall, the first of four new apartment-style residence halls along West Wheelock.
- The three residence halls currently under construction include Alumnae Hall, Shonda Rhimes Hall, and Class of 1989 Hall, which are expected to be completed in fall 2028.
Renewal & Renovation: The expanded and reimagined Hopkins Center for the Arts held its grand opening last October, and the latest phase of renovations on the Courtyard Cafe, located at the Hop, will wrap up this fall. In addition, reconstruction of Tuck Mall began in June 2026, and it’s designed to fully rebuild the roadway and related infrastructure from Cemetery Lane to North Main Street. The project is anticipated to be substantially complete in September 2026, and final details may extend into the Fall Term.

Why is this work happening all at once rather than being done in phases? 

Our larger projects related to distribution piping and housing are being completed in phases, but they also are linked as our residence hall projects will be served by the hot-water heating system being installed around campus.

In addition, much of our infrastructure is more than 100 years old and in need of repair and modernization. Rather than sinking resources into outdated and inefficient systems, we're taking this opportunity to replace century-old infrastructure with a modern distribution network that will reshape how we heat, cool, and power campus while significantly improving our energy efficiency.

When does this construction work take place?

The Town of Hanover allows construction to take place from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. However, to mitigate disruption to nearby residents, Dartmouth-related construction only takes place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, with potential for work on select Saturdays.

In addition, we further restrict the use of large, noise-generating machinery—for example, the type used to install metal support systems (also known as sheet piles)—to Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. If this work needs to take place at our project sites, we will provide advance notice. Project Managers also help ensure that Residential Operations teams are aware of planned construction, so it can be communicated to students through appropriate channels.

With all the construction going on, will it be quiet enough for students to sleep and study? 

Some work during the early stages of construction can be loud, so when you need a quieter environment during daytime hours, we recommend that you make use of libraries, study rooms, and other campus spaces. In addition, our project team has provided a variety of mitigation tools to students living near project sites, including noise-canceling headphones, ear plugs, white noise machines, and furniture pads—you can reach out to West.Wheelock.Housing@dartmouth.edu to request these items.

What is the impact for new student arrival?   

Our Student Affairs and Residential Life teams are hard at work making sure the move-in experience will be positive—whether you’re arriving on campus for the first time or returning for another great year. To ensure you know what to expect before you leave home, Residential Life will send detailed information to new students about navigating to housing check in, their residence halls, and move-in locations. In-person teams will be on hand on September 2 to help direct traffic, facilitate the move-in process, and answer questions

Is it safe for students to be moving in amidst all the construction? 

Yes. Student safety is our highest priority; all buildings are safe and ready for occupancy before students move in. Students may sometimes notice small finishing projects taking place in and around the buildings, e.g., landscaping work, etc., but they will be safe for occupancy. We also coordinate with teams from Project Management, Environmental Health and Safety, Department of Safety and Security, and other campus organizations to ensure that construction areas around residence halls are also secure and safe for pedestrian access during move-in.  

Will any campus activities be curtailed because of construction? 

Campus activities will continue as planned, offering Dartmouth students a rich array of programs and events. At times, some athletic facilities—most recently, the Lewinstein Athletic Center— have been closed temporarily due to construction-related upgrades and energy transition work, and our Project Management team works to coordinate these temporary closures during the summer or off-season as much as possible. The Lewinstein Athletic Center will reopen on September 1.

If Town of Hanover and Dartmouth construction doesn't begin until 7 a.m., why do we sometimes hear what sounds like construction noise before then?

While both the Town of Hanover and Dartmouth have established timeframes for standard construction work, you may still hear noise not related to construction activities outside of these parameters. This could include emergency vehicles or seasonal snow removal operations. 

In addition, the Town of Hanover, Dartmouth, and other entities such as utility companies or the State, may need to conduct periodic construction work outside of regular hours due to traffic volume or facility use.