Eliot Circular

Prexy Gets Facelift

Photo by Tom Humphrey

By Anna Mann

One of Reed’s most beloved and enduring buildings is now the proud home of alumni & parent relations and the Center for Life Beyond Reed. Remodeled over summer 2014 and fitted with fabrics and furnishings selected by interior designer Kathia Emery ’67, Prexy opened its doors to students and alumni in August and received a score of visitors during Leadership Summit in September.

“If the first few months is any indication, this renovation is something the community will benefit from for a long time,” says Mike Teskey, director of alumni & parent relations. “The interior is lovely and functional—it really works for a variety of events.” 

Designed by A.E. Doyle, Prexy was completed in 1915 to serve as the college president’s home (whence its name). But in 1948, President E.B. MacNaughton [1948–52] decided to maintain his own home in Portland, and Prexy was remodeled to be a men’s dormitory. In 1958, the building was declared unsafe as a residence and was nearly demolished. Instead, it was refurbished for day use, for Reed’s music program, in which capacity it served nobly until 2013, when the Performing Arts Building opened.