Four walls, two beds, two closets, two desks and one refrigerator: these are the makings of Grant Towers’ dorms. Taking into account the architecture, food and style of living, Grant Towers’ dorm rooms are similar to the living standards of a jail cell.

“I hate living in these dorms; my roommate and I are so close to each other that we constantly run into each other,” said Lindsey Tucker, freshman hospitality administration major.

The Grant dorm rooms are a rectangular shape with the comfort of your roommate just an arm’s length away. Because of this unique “cozy” living at Grant Towers, some of the residents compare it to a concrete cell.

“Think about it, there are four tall towers with tons of students filled inside,” Tucker said. “Each one lives in a room that is 14 by 10 feet.”

The rooms are small, there are communal bathrooms and it does have the setting of an old haunted building, but Grant does deserve to be noted for its proud moments.

“I do enjoy being able to be around so many people, and Sunday brunch in Grant North’s cafeteria is the best,” Tucker said. “But I still have a problem with moving my lamp from one side of the room to the other side just to get the amount of light I need.”

It is interesting to hear that your dorm room reminds you of a jail cell, but NIU would just not be NIU without it. Grant Towers are in definite need for an update.

“Renovation to the Grant Towers will create more dining options and a more comfortable atmosphere,” said Dave LaBanc, director of residential facilities and operations for Housing and Dining.

Students are lucky to have a university that takes our personal comfort into account and that understands and is doing the best to help make living here more relaxing. Out with the old and in with the new.

“It is cool to think that I will be able to say I knew the old Grant Towers,” said Abby Harrison, freshman elementary education major. “I feel like I get to see Northern growing up.”

The future Grant Towers will look similar to the Stevenson Towers. Grant will also have the same dining concept as Stevenson. Although 100 fewer students will fit into each tower, the students that do fit will have a more spacious living option.

“Our goal was for our students’ needs to be met,” LaBanc said. “And this renovation will help achieve this goal.”

Stevenson Towers are the newest addition to the dorm life on campus and it is exciting to hear that soon Grant Towers will resemble them. For the students that live in Grant Towers currently, think of this not as missing out on a good thing, but a chance to recognize that our future Huskies will be welcomed into better living conditions.

“I’m excited to hear that Grant Towers will be renovated,” Harrison said. “I cannot wait to see it when it is finished.”

And for now, the rest of us must wait until the project is finished. Not only will we see new and improved Grant Towers, but we will also be able to watch the reconstruction of a memorable piece of NIU.