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The Little Building — Emerson College
Photo: NEFall1212 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Emerson College

The Little Building

📍 80 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116
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🏛 Corridor🚿 Communal Bathroom👥 Co-Ed❄️ Has AC🛗 Elevator♿ ADA Accessible🏳️‍🌈 LGBTQ+ Friendly🚻 Gender-Inclusive Bathrooms🏢 13 floors

About The Little Building

Built in 1917 and designed by architect Clarence Blackall in Modern Gothic style, the Little Building was nicknamed "The City Under One Roof" for its original mix of offices, retail, and public amenities. Emerson purchased it in 1994 and renovated it for student housing; a 2019 renovation by Elkus Manfredi Architects added a 13th floor and expanded capacity to 1,035 beds. Today it is Emerson's largest and most iconic residence hall, home exclusively to first-year students. The Tudor-arched Boylston Street entrance, granite facade, and glass community rooms along Tremont Street make it one of downtown Boston's most recognizable student residences. Sixteen common lounges (six with kitchenettes), three centralized laundry facilities, and one gender-free restroom per floor.

💡 Good to know about The Little Building

From DormScouter research.

Bathrooms here are communal, so you'll be carrying your things down the hall. Students here often pick up:

EUDELE Mesh Shower Caddy Portable for College Dorm Room Esse · $9.99 Shower Shoez – Quick-Dry Shower Flip Flops · $10–$16

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Getting to campus · Partner*
OurBus student-friendly bus tickets
Intercity buses with stops near campus — an easy ride home for breaks.
See routes →
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