Boston University Completes First Phase of $550 Million Warren Towers Renovation

• Boston University has completed the first phase of a $550 million renovation of Warren Towers at 700 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts.
• The first renovated tower houses 600 students in an 18-story building with single, double, and triple rooms, along with faculty apartments.
• The fully electric renovation is part of Boston University's plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2040.
• Renovations to the remaining two towers and improvements to the surrounding streetscape are expected to be completed by 2029.
• Shawmut Design and Construction is serving as the lead contractor on the major renovation.

What The Warren Towers Renovation Includes

Boston University has completed the first phase of a major overhaul of Warren Towers, one of the largest student housing complexes in Boston. The first renovated tower is ready for students this academic year. The building provides housing for approximately 600 students across single, double and triple rooms, along with several faculty apartments. The broader Warren Towers complex houses about 1,800 students across three towers and dates to 1965. The renovation is designed to modernize the aging residence while keeping the existing structure in place. The 18-story Tower A now features updated student rooms, common areas, mechanical systems and dining facilities.

What The Renovated Tower Looks Like

The renovated student rooms feature large, nearly floor-to-ceiling windows with views across Boston. The new windows are triple-glazed, helping reduce street noise while improving the building's energy performance. The fourth floor has been transformed with a renovated cafeteria that includes electric pizza ovens and a dedicated gluten-free section. Additional student spaces are planned, including study rooms, lounges and practice areas for musicians. The improvements give the nearly 60-year-old residence hall a significantly more modern interior without replacing the existing structure.

What The Project Means For Sustainability

One of the most significant changes is the conversion of Warren Towers to a fully electric building. The dorm had previously been one of Boston University's largest sources of carbon emissions. The renovation replaces older building systems with electric infrastructure as the university works toward its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2040.

“This is a major project within that timeline and the evolution of how we approach design at Boston University,” said Dennis Carlberg, Boston University's chief sustainability officer and associate vice president for climate action.

Carlberg said the decision to renovate rather than demolish the existing building also helped reduce the project's overall emissions. The university sees Warren Towers as a potential model for future renovations as it works to improve the environmental performance of its existing building stock.

What It Took To Complete The First Phase

The first phase required an unusually compressed construction schedule. Boston University described the final summer push as a “summer slammer,” with roughly 42 weeks of work condensed into a nine-week period. Employees from Shawmut Design and Construction, the lead contractor, worked three shifts a day, six days a week to complete the work before students returned. The final sprint focused on installing escalators at the entrance, flooring, lighting, fixtures and new furniture. Mechanical and electrical upgrades had largely been completed during the previous summer. Installing central air conditioning into the existing high-rise was particularly challenging.

“To install central air conditioning alone in a 17-story building was like ‘taking a human body, inserting a new heart, and then having to map all the veins out so that it can circulate around,’” said Michelle Maheu, Boston University's associate vice president for planning, design and construction.

What The Remaining Renovation Will Include

The Warren Towers project is not finished yet. Boston University is continuing work on the second tower, while renovation work has not yet begun on the third. The remaining towers and planned streetscape improvements are expected to be completed by 2029. During construction, approximately 600 beds have been unavailable. The university has accommodated some students at its Fenway campus while maintaining its four-year on-campus housing guarantee. Once the entire Warren Towers renovation is complete, the university expects the complex's overall capacity to increase slightly.

What Warren Towers Means For Boston University Housing

Boston University provides on-campus housing to just over 12,000 undergraduate students, representing roughly two-thirds of its undergraduate population. The university says about 60% of students accept its four-year on-campus housing offer, making Warren Towers an important part of its residential system. The renovation also comes as Boston University has shifted toward upgrading existing campus buildings rather than relying entirely on new construction. Warren Towers was one of three major projects included in the university's 2024 master plan update. The others were a proposed new building for the Pardee School of Global Studies and renovations to Mugar Memorial Library. The university has since postponed the Pardee project after reviewing its financial position and broader strategic priorities. The Mugar Memorial Library renovation remains planned, although no construction timeline has been announced.

What Comes Next For Boston University

The completion of Tower A marks the first major milestone in the Warren Towers transformation. The remaining two towers will continue to be renovated over the next several years, with the full project expected to be completed by 2029. For Boston University, the project represents more than a student housing upgrade. It provides a test case for how the university can modernize older buildings, improve energy performance and reduce emissions without demolishing and replacing existing structures. The approach could influence how Boston University handles future campus renovations as it works toward its 2040 carbon-neutrality goal.