Sanford Riley Hall is a co-ed freshman dormitory. It contains all traditional room sizes, with singles, doubles, and triples, averaging some of the largest rooms by square footage for freshman residences. It has a non-suite structure, with all rooms sharing a single common room and two bathrooms per floor. Sanford Riley is the oldest residence hall on Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Campus, built in 1927.[1]
It is additionally home to the Riley Commons, which acts as a classroom in the basement of the building, while classrooms have been redistributed due to Stratton Hall being under renovation.[2] Prior to the Riley Commons use as a learning environment, in the 1970's it was used as a senior pub and lounge. The Original Goat's Head Pub lasted until 1986, when it was remodeled into Gompei's Place. Gompei's Place took up space from both the basement and an additional extension to the building. Replacing Gompei's Place was the Little Theatre in 2005, and now hosts plays throughout the academic year.[2]
Similar to other buildings and structures on campus, such as, Atwater Kent, Alden Hall, the main Quadrangle; the hall is rumored to house non-public passageways and crawlspaces due to the age of the building. Atwater Kent, the Electrical Engineering Department building has steam tunnels traditionally off limits for students, but physically accessible. Others like Alden Hall and the Quad have existing crawlspaces that can be found via maintenance access. The Quad specifically has undergone renovation, including an updated drainage system, which made use of underground access.[3]