Celebrating Suffolk's Sixth Residence Hall

University, state, and city officials joined together on September 30 to celebrate a Suffolk milestone—the opening of the University’s sixth residence hall at 101 Tremont Street. As one of downtown Boston’s first office-to-dorm conversions, the 11-story, 88,000-square-foot landmark opened with 80 student residents and will eventually house 280 Rams by next fall.  

“This building represents more than just a building to us. In fact, it represents home to our students,” said President Marisa Kelly. “But it also represents home to Suffolk University more broadly. We are in and of the city of Boston. This university grew from this city. We use its energy, its industries, its activities as part of our learning platform, and it is so important to the experience we give to all of our students, whether living on campus or off.”  

Kelly was joined at the ribbon cutting by Representative Aaron Michlewitz, MBA ’13, chair of the Massachusetts House Committee on Ways and Means; Sheila Dillon, MPA ’95, chief of housing for the City of Boston; Boston City Councilors Ed Flynn and Erin J. Murphy; Kairos Shen, chief of planning for the city of Boston; and dozens of other civic leaders and community partners. 

Most recognizable as the home of the popular Beantown Pub, 101 Tremont stands directly across the street from the historic Granary Burying Ground on Boston’s Freedom Trail where millions of pedestrians pass each year, along with duck boats full of tourists and the occasional championship parade.  

The turn-of-the-century building expands a Suffolk corridor running along Tremont Street, where Suffolk banners fly on Smith Hall, Sargent Hall, 73 Tremont, and now 101 Tremont. The two-year-long renovation process successfully maintained the building’s historic character, while thoroughly upgrading its accessibility and utility systems.  

Revitalizing downtown, easing the housing crunch 

Michlewitz spoke about the important role Suffolk plays in the life of downtown Boston, and in ongoing state and city efforts to revitalize and modernize downtown Boston well into the 21st century. 

”We know that Suffolk University is a big part of that future, and so we are thrilled to see this happening,” he said. 

The “energy, ideas, talent, and so much life” that Boston’s tens of thousands of college students bring is key to making it “one of the best cities in the country, if not the best,” said Dillon, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s housing chief. “We want them to have a wonderful college experience, and then we want them to stay after they graduate.”  

But with more than 37,000 students living in city neighborhoods, the pressure on the city’s housing supply is intense, and the shortage results in some of the highest costs in the country.    

“I’m very, very happy that Suffolk continues to build downtown housing, but I’m also happy in how they’re doing it, taking these beautiful buildings and giving them new life, new purpose, while reducing our commercial vacancies,” said Dillon.

Katherine Obeng-Mensah, BA ’26, who recently moved into 101 as a resident assistant while she pursues a master’s in sociology and criminal justice, said that while the building’s location and beauty are important, so is the community it will create.  

“I’m really excited to see all the memories, friendships, and experiences that will come from it,” she said.  “As someone who has been able to grow [while at] Suffolk, it’s amazing to see the University continue to grow too. Buildings like 101 Tremont remind us that a university is more than classrooms and offices. It’s the people, the experiences, and the spaces that bring everyone together.” 

A building that builds community 

A few hours later, friends, family, and colleagues of the late Nancy Stoll, Suffolk’s dean of students emerita and a driving force behind Suffolk’s residential transformation, gathered for the dedication of “Nancy’s Lounge.”  

The sleek, second-floor student lounge—which is wired for high-tech meetups while also possessing a postcard-worthy view of the Granary Burying Ground—was named in honor of Stoll, who passed away in 2025.  

Vice President of Student Affairs Laura Ferrari spoke about Stoll’s commitment to building “a culture of care” that changed the lives of many thousands of student Rams. 

“Over her 29 years at Suffolk, Nancy understood something that remains at the heart of our work today: a student’s education does not end when they leave the classroom. It happens in organizations, in residence halls, in late-night conversations, and in the moments when someone takes the time to listen,” she said.

Senior finance major Frank Ezhan, president of the Student Government Association, spoke about his own journey from uninvolved, insecure high school student to student leader.  

“You don’t have to arrive at college already knowing who you want to be. You just have to be willing to take those first steps and have people around you who believe in you, encourage you, and remind you that you are capable of becoming more,” he said. “That’s what this lounge is. It’s a place for those first steps. It’s exactly the kind of place Dean Stoll spent her career building. To the Stoll family, thank you for making sure your mother’s commitment to students and her legacy lives on.” 

Stoll’s children, Greg and Lindsay, spoke with emotion about their mother’s passion for Suffolk, and her vision for the lounge, which guided the family gift that created the space. “Mom was so excited for this lounge because she loved to see students come together, whether socially or academically, to build a community. And while we would give anything to have our mom and dad here, we know they’re smiling down and just so happy that this is her lounge.”