Ohio State was housing some students in the campus hotel The Blackwell Inn fall semester in order to decrease residence hall density. Credit: Sarah Szilagy | Campus Editor
The Blackwell Inn’s days as a residence hall are coming to an end.
The Blackwell will not operate as student housing for the spring semester, Kellie Uhrig, a spokesperson for the Office of Student Life, said in an email. The 184 students who lived there will be relocated to residence halls on North Campus.
The university hotel was repurposed as a residence hall earlier this semester to accommodate physical distancing and minimize the spread of COVID-19, according to the University Housing website.
“The Blackwell has been a fantastic resource, but it was not built to be a residence hall,” Uhrig said. “Now that we are able to move students out of the Blackwell without separating roommates, it makes sense to do so.”
Uhrig said Blackwell residents had to walk to Archer House to do their laundry but will now be able to do it without leaving their buildings.
Carl Rupp, a first-year in pre-mechanical engineering, and his roommate are among those who will move out of the hotel. Rupp said he’s not looking forward to the move.
“It’s kind of a pain, but it is what it is,” Rupp said. “It’s really nice here, so we kind of want to stay as long as we can.”
Students can move into their new rooms anytime before Nov. 25, according to a letter sent to Blackwell residents in mid-October. A more structured move-out process will be available Nov. 12-14.
It is uncertain whether the Blackwell will reopen as a hotel for the spring, general manager Stefanie Patsiavos said in an email.
