INVESTING IN RESIDENTIAL LIFE AT
A TRANSFORMATIO At Taft, residential life is the heart of our mission. Much of educating the whole student happens through the lived experiences in the dorms. The Lower Mid Quad is a transformative investment that will elevate the experience of every student and faculty member by creating a dedicated first-year residential community and improving the living experience and support across all dorms. With two new dorms, Taft will maintain enrollment at 600 and de-densify dorms across campus, while significantly improving our student-to-adult ratio across all dorms. Designed to foster wellness, connection, and community, the new dorms reflect our commitment to helping every student thrive.
Lower Mid Quad Cost: $85 million
> 2 New Buildings 1 girls dorm and 1 boys dorm, each 40,000 > 80 Dorm Rooms
> 10 Faculty Apartments Faculty apartments totaling approximately
ONAL PROJECT The dorms will also include 10 faculty apartments, representing the most significant investment in faculty housing in Taft’s history. As a boarding school, getting residential life right strengthens our entire community—academics, well-being, culture, and the future of our community. The Lower Mid Quad is an investment in the full Taft experience and in every student who calls Taft home. When we strengthen where students live, we strengthen how they learn, grow, and belong.
0 square feet
y 9,100 square feet in each building
A PURPOSE-BUILT FIRST-YEAR
Residential Quad The addition of the Lower Mid Quad will allow students to continue learning beyond the traditional classroom and focus on life-skills—allowing them to connect without screens, enjoy collaborative indoor and outdoor spaces, and be supported by faculty. As the enabling factor for the ongoing implementation of Taft’s Strategic Plan, the Lower Mid Quad will: • • • •
Strengthen student community and well-being Support the educators who shape student life Align enrollment with mission and demand Improve financial strength and sustainability
Residential life is an essential component of the learning experience at Taft. This project supports our strategic initiatives around advising, service, and leadership development across all grades.
STRENGTHEN STUDENT COMMUNITY & WELL-BEING The two new residence halls will form a cohesive “Lower Mid Quad.” These new living spaces and outdoor areas have been thoughtfully designed to encourage connection, foster belonging, and support our youngest students as they navigate the transition to boarding school. At the same time, the addition of two dorms will ease crowding and improve residential conditions across campus, benefiting the entire student body.
SUPPORT THE EDUCATORS WHO SHAPE STUDENT LIFE Teaching faculty are the foundation of Taft, and housing is essential to their quality of life. We currently house approximately 70% of faculty, 10–20% below peer norms, limiting our ability to recruit and retain exceptional educators and sustain residential programming. The Lower Mid Quad will address this with 10 new, high-quality faculty apartments for individuals and families.
ALIGN ENROLLMENT WITH MISSION & DEMAND The Lower Mid Quad will expand capacity for 9th-grade boarding students, aligning enrollment with Taft’s mission, demand, and long-term vision. It will also enhance the residential experience for all students with more space per student (from ~410 to ~580 square feet per student) and improved student-to-adult ratios in every dorm. These improvements to residential life will help us attract and retain outstanding students, athletes, artists, coaches, and teachers.
IMPROVE FINANCIAL STRENGTH & SUSTAINABILITY The Lower Mid Quad project will increase boarding capacity for both students and faculty, creating a sustainable living experience for the community at large. The project will expand boarding capacity to 550 beds, allowing Taft to de-densify existing dorms and predictably enroll 600 students.
$2.5M+
in annual net tuition revenue generated through space for 60 additional boarding students
$350,000
in annual savings by reducing off-campus rentals and stipends
100%
geothermal heating and cooling system introduced across the new facilities