Myles Standish Hall

Myles Standish Hall is a Boston University dormitory located at 610 Beacon Street, in Kenmore Square. Originally constructed in 1925 and opened as the Myles Standish Hotel, it was deemed to be one of the finest hotels in the world.^[1] In 1949 BU acquired the building and converted it into a dormitory.

The Hotel Years

When the doors to the hotel opened in 1928, it offered many amenities and was situated in a prime location in the developing Back Bay neighborhood in Boston next to the Kenmore Square trolley station. It was one of many such hotels, including the Sheraton located just down the street at 91 Bay State Road, which would itself be later purchased by BU and converted into a dormitory.

Due to its proximity to Fenway Park the hotel was often patronized by visiting baseball clubs. Babe Ruth himself stayed there often, and liked suite 818 so much that he made it a habit to request it specifically.^[2]

In 1933 Charles Newton took over as manager and rescued it from the Great Depression, turning it into a fashionable apartment hotel. He left in 1943 when the hotel was sold to the Sheraton Corporation and in 1949 the building was sold to Boston University.

Becoming a Dormitory

The University, experiencing heavy growth due to returning World War II troops making use of their G.I. Bill entitlements, was in desperate need of housing for students, and quickly converted the facility to dormitory use for its male students.^[2]

In 1970 Myles made BU history by becoming the first dorm to permit guests of any gender 24 hours a day.

In the summer of 1973, Myles was "condemned" due to structural problems. BU obtained alternate dormitory space that year at Fensgate Hall down Beacon St., with dining across the street at Charlesgate Hall. Myles reopened for the 1974-75 academic year.

In 1979, with the bankruptcy of Grahm Junior College, the University purchased the school’s administration building adjacent to Myles. This building had several uses before being permanently converted into dormitory space and annexed to Myles, giving birth to what is now known as Myles Annex.

Layout

Myles is a nine floor building. The first floor houses the building’s dining hall, mailroom, and computer lab. The remaining eight floors are residential; in the basement are laundry facilities.

The shape of the building is somewhat unique. Due to the irregular proportions of the plot of land on which it was built at the intersection of Bay State Road and Beacon Street, the building is known for its sharp point resembling the prow of a ship. This makes for unusual floor plans.

The eight residential levels house 666 residents in a coeducational setting and are essentially identical, with rooms arrayed in a suite-style setting. Most suites are composed of two singles adjoined with a double-occupancy room in the middle, with the bathroom accessible only through the double room. Exceptions to this occur near the “point” of the building’s shape, where rooms are more spacious and are occupied by more residents.^[3]

Myles’ seventh floor is a designated specialty floor for students of the College of Engineering.^[3]

Security

As with all large residence halls at BU, access is by presenting student identification. Non-residents must be signed in and are restricted in the duration of their stay and the times at which they are permitted to enter and leave.

Due to the relatively large size of each individual floor, two resident assistants staff each floor.

Notes

1. ^ Salzman, Nancy Lurie. Buildings and Builders. pp. 163–164. ISBN 0-87270-056-9. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Kilgore, Kathleen. Transformations: A History of Boston University. ISBN 0-87270-070-4. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "Boston University". http://www.bu.edu/housing/residences/largedorms/myles.html. Retrieved 2006-06-19. 

Coordinates: 42°20′58.97″N 71°05′39.88″W / 42.3497139°N 71.0944111°W / 42.3497139; -71.0944111