James Madison University says Spotswood Hall in Harrisonburg is being renovated and is scheduled to reopen as Alger Hall for the Fall 2026 academic year, according to an Oct. 8 announcement from the university.
JMU says renovation work began in May 2025 and is scheduled to be completed in May 2026. The university says the reopened building will house the JMU Center for Civic Engagement and on-campus residents.
The hall will be renamed to honor former JMU President John Alger, who served for 12 years, and the university says he established the Madison Center for Civic Engagement, which will be housed in the building.
According to JMU, the renovated hall will have 44 beds and cover 18,398 square feet. Planned features include study spaces, a recreation room and TV lounge, a kitchen, an ice machine and vending.
JMU says the rendering on its page is a concept and may change.