Construction of the two new dormitories at Putney has officially begun. Both buildings are on schedule with blasting complete, footings and foundations poured, and some plumbing and basement slabs in place, paving the way for a planned opening in the fall of 2023. 

The new dorms that Putney will erect are part of the school’s campaign Sing it Forward: A Campaign for Putney’s Future. Both dorms will provide housing for 22 students along with spacious apartments for faculty members and their families. They will replace the Old Boys and Old Girls dorms.

“Both buildings will be high performance, environmentally sustainable, and we hope in many ways, culturally sustainable,” Assistant Head of School and Chief Financial Officer Randy Smith has said. 

Crews have started framing the first floor and are moving toward closing up the greenhouse site for the winter. Construction here is slated to be completed first, with the second dorm — Hepper House — scheduled for just a few weeks behind. The dorm has been named in honor of Hester (Hepper) Goodenough Caldwell ’46, who helped shape the culture of Putney in ways both big and small. 

Photography by Max ’25 and ReArch Construction.