This New (Old) House

By David Nathan

Thanks to the generosity of The Saunders Foundation and financial support from Lasell, the historic restoration of the Helen M. Saunders House has been completed. Students moved into the refurbished house this fall for the first time since the 2018–2019 academic year.

The construction project restored the 132-year-old Saunders House to its original beauty and charm, while also making it the most energy-efficient Victorian house on campus and meeting accessibility standards mandated by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The work included renovating the kitchen; constructing an accessible bathroom on the first floor; replacing doors, windows, and railings; and restoring stained-glass windows, fireplaces and fireside seats, and vintage woodwork.

A group of Lasell alumni from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s toured the house while on campus for their Reunion last spring. The alumni were so impressed with the project that they joked they planned to re-enroll in classes and move in.

Image by Todd Dionne