Students react to Peabody Hall no longer being offered for housing

‘It’s a special place. It always smells kinda weird but everyone knows each other’

Yesterday, Temple University announced Peabody Hall will not be open to house students during the 2017-2018 school year.

The 60-year-old building houses around 290 students each year. The residence hall is also popular amongst art students due to its proximity to Tyler School of Art.

The building also features an art studio in the basement and it’s the home of two Living Learning Communities, which will reportedly move to 1940 next year.

The announcement yesterday left many students surprised and current Peabody residents had mixed feelings about the dorm’s closure next year.

While it is the oldest, Peabody is currently the least expensive dorm on Temple’s campus and the building is only one of three traditional style dorms with communal bathrooms.

Illyria Feilke, a Temple University freshman with an undeclared major, felt passionate about the closure of Peabody.

Peabody resident, Illyria Feilke

“It makes me feel sad,” Feilke said. “I have such an amazing community of women on my floor who are so supportive and loving. I want anyone coming into Temple to be able to experience this kind of closeness. We really are a family and Peabody is our home.”

Feilke also had a perspective on how this will affect Temple’s future.

“I think that not having a cheaper option will turn away a huge population of students.” Feilke predicted. “We all know Peabody is the cheapest, which is why I picked it. If they didn’t have Peabody, I wouldn’t have stayed on campus. I just want them to keep Peabody, for people like me. [People] who couldn’t afford Morgan, but really want to enjoy the college experience.”

Autumn Impalli is a freshman computer science major who is also disheartened by the closure of Peabody.

“Peabody was such an awesome place to live that it kinda sucks other people won’t be able to experience it.” Impalli said.

Impalli also had a view on the expense this would have on future Temple students.

“Freshman will have a much more competitive housing selection.” Impalli said. “I know getting housing was super stressful and I barely got a room in Peabody. And not everyone can afford to live in a dorm like Morgan. It’s going to hurt students who need a more affordable on campus option.”

Nichole Mottershead, a freshman theatre major, also is saddened by the news surrounding Peabody.

“It’s a special place. It always smells kinda weird but everyone knows each other,” Mottershead said “It’s sad because it was my home freshman year and it won’t be that way again,”

Nichole on the left

Mottershead believes incoming freshman will have a more difficult time finding housing due to the closure.

“I don’t know where they’re going to put them,” Mottershead said, laughing. “Finding housing was enough of a struggle.”

Doreen Nguyen is a freshman studying musical theatre at Temple University. She currently resides in Peabody Hall. She feels hopeful for the future of the building.

“It’s bittersweet to hear that the community at Peabody will not be continued next year.” Nguyen said. “I’m excited for the future of Peabody, whether it be renovation or a completely new building.”

Another Peabody resident, Lindsey Clutter, felt conflicted about the closure.

“I’m kinda relieved,” Clutter, a freshman studying theater and political science, said. “It’s honestly really gross, like there is mold everywhere. So I’m glad no one will have to deal with it. But I’m kinda of sad because I pictured myself walking past Peabody like my senior year and being nostalgic. Although it is cool that we’ll be the very last Peabody residents.”

At this time, Temple has yet to announce what is to come of the building and the surrounding space.

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