By: Emily Nixon
As Brooklyn College (BC) students returned to class, one glaring difference on their campus greeted them: a large green fence circled the middle of the East Quad and cut off access to the grass between Ingersoll and Boylan.
Over winter break, construction began in an effort to “enhance the beauty, accessibility, and functionality of one of the most cherished spaces on our campus,” as well as “address significant safety concerns posed by aging trees and dated underground infrastructure,” to, “create a safer, more welcoming environment,” according to an email sent to students on Dec. 19, 2025.
The project is expected to cost “just over $10 million,” with no present concern about the funding covering the entire project, according to Catherine Freeland, the Assistant Vice President for Marketing and Communications at BC’s Administration.
“The East Quad has long been one of Brooklyn College’s signature features, and is a central, defining space that reflects the beauty and character of our campus. We are eager to see it fully restored and reopened,” Freeland told The Vanguard. “At the same time, it’s essential that the work be completed safely, thoroughly, and with the level of quality that Brooklyn College deserves.”
Some students, such as sophomore Aliyah Miranda, are cautiously optimistic about the renovation’s completion.
“It’s a nice change. It’s nice to have something new,” said Miranda. “I’m excited to see what’s to come from it.”
Other students like Kimora Popplewell-Meade, an Earth and Environmental Science (EESC) major, worry about the impact the renovation will have on the local fauna.
“You’re messing with the natural habitats as well, like the rats, the squirrels, all types of critters,” said Popplewell-Meade. “Those [critters] are now going into Boylan and Ingersoll, or like nearby buildings, because they have nowhere else to go.”
Popplewell-Meade also expressed her concern for how this would affect her fellow students who require mobility assistance.
“I think, overall, this is a good project, but just currently, it’s kind of a hassle as a student,” said Popplewell-Meade. “They didn’t think of people who have special needs, for example, people who have one leg or they have to use a wheelchair to get around. It’s kind of inconvenient for those types of people.”
According to Freeland, the project will affect “ building egress and sidewalk pathways,” but any changes will be communicated to students.
The timeline for the renovation has become a point of suspicion for students like Popplewell-Meade.
“I think the renovation project is […] very questionable because there’s a probe that we’re replacing the old trees, which is a danger,” said Popplewell-Meade. “But at the same time, it’s like, it’s a very questionable time to be doing it because the summer is coming up.”
The loss of the space has affected the community on campus, according to Popplewell-Meade.
“You come to Brooklyn College because you think it’s convenient, but also because it’s an outside/outdoor campus. This was a community,” said Popplewell-Meade. “People played volleyball […] we would watch movies on the East Quad as well. So, it’s kind of taking away from student life.”
Some newer students, like Meenakshi Poolapalli, a freshman majoring in EESC, are disappointed to come when the quad is under construction.
“I came to Brooklyn College because of the academics, but I did hear after I enrolled that it’s just such a beautiful campus,” said Poolapalli. “So, I was a little disappointed […] I hope that I’ll get to enjoy the quad before I graduate.”
While the construction is progressing, there shouldn’t be an effect on classes.
“The East Quad Renovation Project work has been planned to minimize disruption to campus activities,” said Freeland. “We do not anticipate a negative impact on classes.”
Despite this, one of Poolapalli’s classes has been affected by the renovation, causing an activity to change.
“I was in a class where they were saying that usually, like an activity that we do for lab is to go out into the Quad and collect samples and analyze them or something,” said Poolapalli. “We can’t do that this year. That’s a little sad.”
Seniors like Shania Clarke, who is studying Film and Classics, are disappointed because of the timeline coinciding with graduation season.
“I graduate this semester, and I wanted my pictures on the East Quad, specifically where the MLK statue is, and now, […] it looks nasty. It’s gross,” said Clarke. “That East Quad is a memento for me. That is the first place I sat down when I first arrived on this campus.”
Clarke also feels that the communication to students hasn’t been sufficient.
“I really do think [BC Admin] had way more time to prepare for this and should have been very transparent about how [they’re] going about this construction,” said Clarke.
The official timeline aims to complete the project by the end of this year, despite encountering some road bumps along the way, according to Freeland.
“We lost some time with recent weather, but the project is moving forward as planned,” Freeland told The Vanguard. “The Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) project manager is providing updates on progress and upcoming activities, which we have posted on the lookahead schedule.”
Clarke feels that the renovation project is detrimental to “the college experience.”
“There’s a place for you to interact– an extra third, fourth space for you to interact with your friends. That space is necessary for your college environment. That is what the college experience is, and what college life is definitely about,” said Clarke. “Therefore, redoing the East Quad at such a time like this, it becomes in a state where […] you lose that campus life on your own campus.”