Howard retired, Lyons renovated, Coyle and Grojean to open
Notre Dame announced in November several major changes to its landscape of campus housing for the 2026–2027 academic year. Updates include the opening of two new residence halls on South Quad, the retirement of Howard Hall as a student housing facility, and the temporary relocation of Lyons Hall residents.
Coyle Hall, the newest men’s residence hall on campus, will open at the beginning of the fall 2026 semester. The Fisher community, which has been living in Zahm Hall since the demolition of Fisher Hall in 2024, will relocate to the new Coyle building. Students preparing for the transition expressed enthusiasm about the change. One Coyle resident told the Rover that he was “really looking forward to Coyle. It’s supposed to be one of the nicest halls on campus, and it’ll be a lot better than Zahm.”
Coyle resident Bartosz Chramiec added, “While I am happy that the new Coyle Hall will have improved amenities compared to even the renovated Zahm, the low quality of amenities in Fisher was the closest that the sons of well-off Americans would ever live to the vow of poverty, opening their eyes to how little one needs for daily life.”
Zahm Hall, dissolved as a residential community in 2021, has since served as a transition hall for communities temporarily displaced by construction, making it a central part of the university’s long-term facilities planning.
Lyons Hall, one of the university’s historic women’s residences, was informed that its community will relocate to Zahm Hall for the duration of an upcoming renovation. Built in 1927, Lyons last underwent significant renovation in 2013. Its upcoming construction aligns with the university’s broader residential facilities plan, adopted in 2017 and reaffirmed in 2023. Since its introduction, the plan has guided the renovation of several of the university’s oldest residence halls, which sometimes lack the same accommodations as newer dorms.
A second new dorm, Therese Mary Grojean Hall, will also open in August as a women’s residence. Howard Hall, which will be retired at the end of the academic year as a residence hall, will move into Grojean Hall. Howard will no longer serve as an undergraduate residence, though the university has not announced future plans for the building or space. The rector of Howard Hall declined to comment on the upcoming transition.
Students across campus have largely reacted with excitement over the upcoming moves. Howard resident Anne Kelly told the Rover, “Although this marks the end of an era, I’m confident that Howard’s spirit will carry into Grojean Hall and make it just as special.”
Lyons resident Anna Koeberlein said to the Rover, “Lyons is such a special space, and I think a renovation will make it even better. It’s eye-opening when alumni who lived in Lyons thirty years ago (or more!) come in and say, ‘Nothing has changed!’ Compared to other dorms, we are definitely behind amenities-wise, and I feel confident the Lyons community will stay strong with the move to Zahm, holding on to hope that newly renovated Lyons will warmly welcome its residents back home in honor of its 100th anniversary! I’m certainly excited to come back as an alumni to see all the changes that have been made!”
Junior Emmy Balwin remarked, “It’s disappointing that I won’t get to spend my senior year in Lyons, but it’s a much needed renovation. I’m so glad Lyons is going to continue serving as a dorm for future students—we need to preserve the culture and history of South Quad!”
University administrators have emphasized that updating residential spaces remains a priority and that the openings of Coyle and Therese Mary Grojean Halls will provide flexibility as additional halls undergo future improvements.
As the university prepares for multiple moves this summer, students and staff alike are bracing for a busy transition period. More details about renovation timelines for Lyons Hall and long-term plans for Howard Hall are expected to be released in the coming months.
Jeremy Siegl is a freshman from California studying history & constitutional studies. To get in contact, find him buying caffeine at the Huddle or email him at jsiegl@nd.edu.
Photo Credit: Notre Dame Facilities Design and Operations
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