The Native American Center moved into its larger, newly renovated facility this term, providing affinity housing and cultural opportunities for the College's Native American community.
The new house is located on North Main Street at the former Occom Inn, which the College acquired from the Hitchcock clinic one year ago.
The renovations began on the Inn in early May with a projected cost of $450,000. The Native American house used to be located at 18 Park Street.
The house holds 16 beds for students and a small apartment for a graduate student or faculty member. In comparison to the old facility, the newly renovated building provides more living space (11 more people) and includes a kitchen, dining room, study room and recreational space.
The kitchen contains two refrigerators and two stoves, the common room features luxurious lounge chairs and couches and the dining area is large enough to hold many people at dinners.
There is a handicapped-accessible elevator from the basement to the first floor.
There are currently 9 singles and 3 doubles, an extra bed having been added to one of the singles due to this term's housing shortage this term.
All of the rooms have wall-to-wall carpeting and some have a bathroom or half-bathroom.
While most of the renovations are complete, "there are still several areas which will continue to be under construction," Director of Residential Operations Woody Eckels said.
The second and third floors of the three-story house are finished and the first floor was generally finished except for some possible minor touching-up.
But the basement is still unfinished and is off-limits. When completed, it will contain a storage place, recreational space, and a sound-proof music room.
This term there are five '95s, four '96s and seven '97s living in the house, said Josh Winterhalt '97, a member of Native Americans at Dartmouth. Winterhalt lives in a double on the second floor of the house.
Winterhalt added that all of the current residents of the house are also members of NAD.
"It's great living here ... it's good for the Program because we've been in the old house for a long time and our program has grown a lot," Nicole Adams '95,
Adams said NAD previously had to have their functions at different sites on campus "because the house there wasn't big enough. Here we have a lot of community space to do dinners or have speakers."
The former Native American house held only 5 beds for students and was located at 18 North Park Street near the intersection with Lyme Road, farther from the center of campus.
Dean of Residential Life Mary Turco said the search for a new facility began several years ago when the Native American Program's members approached the Office of Residential Life.
Turco told the Dartmouth last April, "A number of years ago it became evident that [the current house] was inadequate ... They came and said, 'Look, we'd appreciate a larger plant if one becomes available.'"
The former Native American Program Director Leisha Connors said events held at the house were often overcrowded.
Connors resigned from the position at the end of last May after only eight months on the job, citing "personal reasons" as the cause for her departure.
John Sirois '91, former assistant director of admissions, was named Acting Director for the interim period. The search for a permanent director is underway.
