The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees approved a contract last week for the renovation of Tobin House, a former sorority house. The building is planned to house students in the fall, when UW administrators are expecting the university’s dorms to be over capacity.
The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees approved a contract last week for the renovation of Tobin House, a former sorority house. The building is planned to house students in the fall, when UW administrators are expecting the university’s dorms to be over capacity.
The University of Wyoming will pay up to $1 million to renovate Tobin House to provide housing for 65 students.
Shepard Construction Inc. of Rawlins has been selected as the design-build contractor for the project, which will be paid for by the Division of Student Affairs’ operating funds.
The building had been the Pi Beta Phi sorority house until June 2017, when it was purchased by UW.
In 2018, when UW officials were discussing possible locations on which to build new dormitories, the site of Tobin House was identified as a strong likelihood.
However, UW leaders decided against building dorms on Fraternity and Sorority Row after considerable backlash from the Greek community.
UW officials are hoping to have the renovations finished by the start of fall semester, when Tobin House could be used to alleviate 65-students-worth of overcrowding in the dorms.
Fall 2018 provided UW with its largest freshmen class in school history, and the dorms began the semester with their occupancy at 102 percent of intended capacity.
UW is expecting the number of students needing room-and-board to again outstrip the dorms’ capacity this fall.
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