The men of Morrissey Manor have found a temporary home in Pangborn Hall while the Manor is being fully renovated for the first time in two decades. This overhaul of the South Quad dorm, constructed in 1925, follows renovations of Walsh Hall and Badin Hall in the previous two years. Residents of Walsh and Badin were also temporarily located to Pangborn during their renovations.
Morrissey Manor’s Little Flower Chapel was renovated in 2015, but the building has not seen extensive improvements since 1998.
“Morrissey will receive an elevator and fitness room for the first time in its history,” Morrissey Rector Zack Imfeld said in an email. “Every part of the building — except the Chapel — will be improved, balancing Morrissey's classic 1925 feel with modern construction.”
Residents of Morrissey, a hall long infamous for its small rooms, are looking forward to the new changes, Smith said.
“Bigger rooms is the one thing that stands out, especially for a Morrissey guy,” sophomore Ryan Smith said. “It was pretty tight last year being in a double with such limited space. I’m looking forward to next year and having bigger rooms.”
For the Manorites, the move across South Quad is a change of scenery but not of culture, as signified by their Little Flower Chapel, Smith said.
“Seeing the chapel untouched while everything else is under construction was symbolic of how that culture and that vibe — no matter what you do to the physical appearance of Morrissey — you won’t touch that culture and that’s something that’s going to carry with us through Pangborn and to when we return to the Manor next year,” Smith said.
Imfeld said the dorm has been preparing for the move since it was first announced during the 2015-16 academic year.
“I don't think the move will impact us drastically — we've been planning as a hall community for a few years, so all of our traditions and processes were created and enhanced to make our transition as smooth as possible,” Imfeld said. “The beauty of our move is that while the building may be different, the community is the same and that's the beauty of the residential system here at Notre Dame.”
Senior Brady McLaughlin, Morrissey's hall president, said the Manor does not plan to commemorate their temporary relocation in any way.
“Our plan this year is to keep on doing what we want to be known for, keep on doing what we have been known for,” McLaughlin said. “Honestly, as a senior, I would be kind of pissed off if we were trying to do something different this year. I stayed in Morrissey because I love Morrissey.”
Smith said ensuring that first years who have only ever lived in Pangborn carry on the Morrissey legacy when they return to the Manor is a top priority for upperclassman.
“We want [first years] to carry on the same traditions, and even though we’re being renovated that doesn’t mean that we’re wiping away the old Morrissey,” Smith said. “It still lives on pretty strong in our hearts and that’s something that we want to carry into the new building next year.”
Smith said the changes may temporarily move Morrissey out of the home they love, but residents are optimistic about the new challenge and look forward to their return to the Manor next year.
“It’s exciting because I think we do have a good community, and I don’t just say that as a Morrissey guy. I really do think it’s a great group of guys with great leadership at the top,” he said. “I think if we can carry that into a brand new building with brand new facilities, it’s going to be really great not just for us but for the rest of campus because we do some really cool stuff throughout the year.”
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