Local
Brown sets summer 2027 return for Barus and Holley classrooms after fatal shooting
Classrooms in Brown University’s Barus and Holley building are expected to reopen for summer courses in 2027, following renovations after a campus shooting that killed two students. The redesign will add social space, updated furnishings and technology, as well as previously announced security cameras in sensitive areas.
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Brown University expects to reopen classrooms in its Barus and Holley building for summer session and precollege courses in 2027, nearly two years after a campus shooting killed two students and led to the closure of the building’s main section.
The university said the renovation schedule has been refined as work progressed. In a statement, Brown’s leadership cited the challenges of updating spaces in a building that is both old and large while it remains an active site for teaching and research.
The renovated area is intended to look and feel substantially different, with new furniture and technology and room for students and others to gather. Brown has also previously announced plans to add security cameras in areas that could be sensitive for students and staff.
University President Christina Paxson had said at the end of the prior semester that the space would reopen gradually, with the aim of helping people feel welcomed and safe on campus. The scheduled 2027 reopening marks a step toward restoring classroom use after the deadly shooting, while the planned security additions address concerns about protection inside the building.