‘Honestly, I’m Fine with It’: Eliot Residents Settle In to the Inn as Renovations Begin

Eliot House students are scattered across Harvard Square as their House is renovated — and many of them don’t seem to mind.

The renovations, which began in June, are set to conclude by the end of 2027. Until then, Eliot residents are living in the Inn at Harvard, dormitories on Prescott St., and University-owned apartments above businesses in Harvard Square.

Though it is far away from many of the apartment-style rooms Eliot upperclassmen are now living in, many Eliot students appreciate how the House has embraced the Inn.

“If you compare the Inn — the way it looks right now — to the way Adams made the Inn look, it’s clear that we’ve embraced the Inn just a lot better than I think previous Houses have, as making it a space as Eliot as possible,” Dev Ahuja ’27 said.

An important symbol of Eliot House was the art found in its basement tunnels. Right before renovation work started, that art was scanned and printed on bright blue banners that are now hanging on the walls of the Inn.

Despite the attempt to make the Inn home, students still miss a sense of convenience that was present in pre-renovation Eliot.

“I’m in Hampton. The living situation is fine. I just miss the convenience,” Ahuja said. “Being able to walk 10 seconds from my dorm to the dining hall is a convenience that I miss.”

As Eliot residents are scattered across the Square, some students said they have less opportunities to develop friendships with their peers.

Rose M. Jewell ’26 said the House “feels a little different.”

“Last year, for instance, I probably would have seen a lot of people by now, just by hanging out in the dining hall, rather, compared to now, where you actually have to go out of your dorm and come to the dining hall,” she said.

“While the Inn isn’t bad, it’s definitely not the same. Like, for example, our swipe lady, Grace. She was talking to me about how she feels sad that she can’t sit where she used to watch everybody,” Ahuja said.

An Eliot flag flies outside the dorm used temporarily during house renewal projects. By Mae T. Weir

Students are also sad about the temporary loss of House spaces designated for gatherings and food. Eliot’s grille, a gathering place known for its late-night food and social atmosphere

“Some of the stuff that was more-so tied to the physical building of Eliot House, like the grille or the Golden Arm,” said Stella Lei ’27, “It’s a bit sad to not have those things.”

Despite the challenges, Eliot’s House Committee is committed to keeping the House spirit alive. One of the House’s hallmarks is steins, which are gatherings every other Thursday with pizza, sangria, and beer in Eliot’s basement grill.

“We’re gonna keep doing that —although I don’t really know where — but we’re definitely gonna keep doing that,” Eliot HoCo member Henry Moss ’26 said.

Many upperclassmen are also coming to like their living arrangements in the apartment-style rooms given to them.

“The actual living, like my room, is pretty nice — like four singles, kitchen,” Moss, a Crimson Editorial Board member, said.

“I’m in Fairfax, or overflow housing. Honestly, I’m fine with it. I got to experience old Eliot, which is nice, and then Fairfax is cool, like the apartment-style living,” Jewel said. “It’s cool to experience, I guess what I’ll be going into in my future.”

—Staff writer Bianca G. Ciubancan can be reached at bianca.ciubancan@thecrimson.com.

—Staff writer Nirja J. Trivedi can be reached at nirja.trivedi@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @nirjatriv.