The first phase of a major renovation and expansion program at Endicott House, MIT's conference center in Dedham, was completed in April.
The changes include a renovated kitchen area, including a new prep kitchen, serving line and buffet room that can accommodate display cooking; upgrades in life safety systems; and access improvements to the mansion that meet requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Other enhancements include video conferencing, refurbished guest rooms and new carpeting.
The next phase of work at Endicott House will include a new 200-seat banquet facility, 63 more guest rooms (bringing the total to 100), a doubling of meeting-room space, and additional upgrades to the facility's infrastructure.
The present and future changes are the result of a two-year assessment of how Endicott House could better serve the needs of the MIT community. The initial review indicated that many appropriate MIT events could not be accommodated because of the facility's size and infrastructure. The Endicott House board of governors then approved development of a master plan for the future, which was undertaken by Bruner/Cott Associates, the architectural firm that designed the Stratton Student Center.
"We started work in the kitchen area because the pre-existing kitchen was actually very similar to when the Endicott family lived in the house," general manager Michael Fitzgerald said. "Our renovated kitchen facilities have allowed us to expand our menus and the variety of food services we can provide."
Endicott House was donated to MIT in 1955, and it has been used as a meeting and conference center since then. MIT affiliation is not required to use the facility. Although the house is owned by MIT, it operates as a self-sustaining department. For information about using Endicott House for conferences or special events, contact the sales office at x3-5211 or (781) 326-5151.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 5, 2002.
