Barnes House is getting a major facelift.

The Memorial residence – part of Paton College on the St. John’s campus – is in the midst of extensive renovations. The result will be a new modern home for students and a much more efficient building for the university.

Those renovations, though, mean students set to move into the residence in the coming days for the start of the fall semester will be temporarily moved off-campus to a St. John’s hotel.

Barnes House will be equipped with brand new plumbing and heating systems, a new air-circulation system, all new flooring and furniture, and new bathrooms including walls, floors and all fixtures. The residences will also be painted throughout, hard wired for high-speed Internet access to all desktops, and cable television will be installed in all rooms.

There will also be individual room controls for the new electric heating system.

Students set to move into Barnes will temporarily move into the Holiday Inn, located in the east end of the city and a short bus ride from the university’s main campus.

Officials hope to have the renovations completed as soon as possible, allowing students to permanently move into residence.

Free busing will be provided for students to and from the hotel to Memorial’s dining hall. As well, a proctor, resident assistances and an academic don will be living with the students at the Holiday Inn, which provides free high speed Internet to all the rooms.

Meanwhile, space for house meetings will be available in Hatcher House for those affected by the temporary move.

The Barnes House renovations come as ground work is being prepared for the construction of a new residence on Memorial’s St. John’s campus.