The building to the east of the Cool Spring Hou
se is one we call the “Old Dorm.” Its name derives from its original use as the primary dormitory for the monks during the early decades of Holy Cross Abbey. With the construction of two other dormitories the “Old Dorm” has, in recent years, become little more than a storage facility. Given the limited space (in the Cool Spring House) for receiving groups and accommodating meetings like those of our Lay Cistercians, the community has opted to renovate the “Old Dorm” and convert it into additional office space, meeting rooms, and a conference room. Work is presently underway to remove asbestos from the building, gut the inside, and improve drainage for rain run-off. Our architect, Tim Machado, is patiently working with us to redesign the interior to best suit its new purposes. It is hoped that actual renovation work will commence before the end of the year.