Waring Commons Programming Study

William G. Waring Hall, completed in early 1951, is two stories with a basement, approximately 78,000 GSF, and serves as the commons building for the West Halls residential complex at Penn State’s University Park Campus. Due to its use the building is now called Waring Commons in most circumstances.

Waring Commons was built concurrently with Hamilton, McKee, and Thompson Halls which were completed in the fall of 1950. Waring Commons abuts Hamilton Hall; the buildings are connected on the basement and second floor levels and share a ground level entrance area on the northeast side. The three 1950 residence halls, combined with the prewar residence halls of Watts (1923), Irvin (1925, originally Varsity), and Jordan (1930, originally Frear) Halls, house approximately 1,650 students, which is approximately twelve percent of the undergraduate beds at University Park.