BY: PHOEBE MCCLAREN, STAFF WRITER
The Murphy building at St. Bonaventure University has been under construction since fall 2025, forcing students and faculty into temporary spaces across campus.
Jared Smith, facilities director, said, “The existing building renovation will be done by Oct. 2026 and the addition will be completed by Jan. 2027.”
Construction equipment, fencing and holes in the ground continue to surround the building. The fence surrounding Murphy has made it harder to get through areas of campus from the parking lots, according to some students.
Electrical and HVAC equipment lead times, the total time it takes from ordering the equipment until delivery, have caused minor delays, but Smith said nothing significant has affected the project so far.
The renovations include updated classrooms and offices, a new roof and new collaboration spaces for students. The building will have HVAC installed, making the renovated and expanded building fully climate-controlled.
This semester, Jandoli School classes have taken place in other buildings across campus. Faculty members have moved to temporary offices. The university created temporary studios for SBU-TV and The Buzz radio station—and relocated The BV to an empty office—while Murphy is under construction.
“Everything,” said Denise Bunk-Hatch, a Jandoli faculty member, when asked what she misses about Murphy.
Bunk-Hatch described the building as her “home” and said she misses having the Jandoli faculty together.
Bunk-Hatch no longer schedules in-person office hours because she does not have a regular location. She said she often has to request print services because she no longer has easy access to a printer.
“I miss seeing students congregate in the second-floor lounge,” said Anne Lee, another Jandoli faculty member.
Lee said she believes the Jandoli School will be in a better space after the renovation and the disruption will be worth it.
Pauline Hoffmann, another Jandoli faculty member, said the renovation was needed because the Jandoli School relies heavily on technology.
The temporary spaces have also affected students.
“It has been a pretty big annoyance, as the Jandoli students have been shoved into Plassmann,” said Matt Kwitowski, a junior sports media major. “Including the radio station, which is significantly smaller than the old station.”
Kwitowski said he is frustrated with the construction because he misses having a building specifically for Jandoli students. He said he likes the planned changes, but wishes he could experience more of the finished building.
Kwitowski said future students will have a great experience in the new communications center, and that it will be nice to have Jandoli clubs together.
Murphy is not the only area of campus undergoing changes.
The university plans to create a recreation area on the east side of campus in front of Francis. Smith said the university is nearing completion of a new campus master plan and details about the recreation area are still being worked out. He said the project is important to the university, but there is currently no completion timeline.
New sidewalks have been installed in front of Plassmann because water would pool after rain and snowmelt. Smith said the university will monitor the area to make sure water does not continue to accumulate under normal rainfall, snowfall or snowmelt.
