March 25, 2025

Freshmen moving into Whitehouse Quadrangle this fall were welcomed into a fresh, updated residence hall that takes advantage of its idyllic setting overlooking Lake Chalgrove.

students hanging out in a dormroomWelcome Home to Whitehouse

from the Record, Fall 2024
by Alexandra Evans

The White House wasn’t the only residence to get new residents this year. Freshmen moving into Whitehouse Quadrangle this fall were welcomed into a fresh, updated residence hall that takes advantage of its idyllic setting overlooking Lake Chalgrove and offers exceptional gathering spaces where new students will forge lifelong friendships.

In the latest renovation completed in Hampden-Sydney’s plan to upgrade all campus facilities, Whitehouse got a full interior facelift with exterior changes adding ambiance, functionality, safety, and comfort. The $13 million renovation, with an estimated $2 million of tax credits, began in May 2023 and was completed in August 2024, in time to welcome members of the class of 2028 to their new home on the Hill. The project was designed and managed by MCWB Architects out of Albany, New York, and executed by English Construction of Lynchburg, Virginia.

Whitehouse Quadrangle was built in 1968 by Nexsen & Owen Architects and named for the parents of Trustee Francis R. Whitehouse ’34, a major contributor to the original project. Whitehouse consists of four threestory pavilions connected by a onestory dormitory arcade.

  • the front of Whitehouse Dorm

    The parking circle in front of Whitehouse was replaced with a wide pedestrian walkway that doubles as a fire lane and access for move-in and move-out.

  • the new back porch of Whitehouse Dorm

    The lake side of the south pavilion was regraded to offer rear access to lower level rooms, and the addition of a spacious deck improved access to Lake Chalgrove.

  • students in a renovated Whitehouse Dorm room

    Interior improvements throughout all of Whitehouse included new flooring, walls, ceilings, and architectural trim. Sinks previously located in bedrooms were relocated to bathrooms enlarged by renovation of the arcades.

  • students hanging out on the porch of Whitehouse Dorm

    Students enjoy the view of Lake Chalgrove from the new back porch of Whitehouse.