Alumna oversees housing projects that preserve history, modernize campus

As Auburn’s campus residence halls undergo a myriad of changes, is it, “Out with the old and in with the new?” Not for Kelly O’Neal-Young, an alumna and project manager with Facilities Management. 

“These renovations allow us to enjoy the interior of the halls again, but I love how Auburn is keeping the original exterior,” she said. “There is something about Auburn keeping history alive — but with a modern twist — that makes you keep coming back for more.” 

O’Neal-Young has spent the last several years overseeing housing projects, including renovations in the Village and the Quad and the demolition of the Hill residence halls. Now, she’s also in charge of the four-story, 125,000 square-foot-housing project under construction on Haley Concourse, across from the Harold D. Melton Student Center. 

“It’s been thrilling to be part of history building brand new student housing,” she said of the $80 million project. “The best part is how much we try to match the Quad with a similar exterior personality. So much planning and design has gone into this building that we hope students will love.” 

After graduating from the College of Architecture, Design and Construction’s McWhorter School of Building Science in 2006, O’Neal-Young worked in private industry, including more than 13 years with Holder Construction in Atlanta. But she began to wonder if she could move closer to family and friends in Alabama, and when a position opened on campus in 2021, she knew it was meant to be. 

“My construction background is in interior renovations, and at the time Auburn Housing was starting major renovations in Broun and Harper in the Upper Quad,” she said. “The most amazing thing was the opportunity to work with the original 1930s construction, the terracotta structure and plaster walls and then see the halls get a modern look.”  

While most of her work has involved housing, O’Neal-Young has also overseen the addition of mobile credentialing for campus buildings and the installation of Wi-Fi in Jordan-Hare Stadium. 

As she walks across campus each day, she recalls plenty of fond memories from her time as a student, including living on the Alpha Xi Delta floor in Dowell Residence Hall on the Hill. 

“Back when I was in the Hill, it was lively and full of energy, and the landscaping surrounding them was so beautiful,” she said. “It was sad to see the Hill being torn down, but Auburn has a master plan of trying to provide students housing in a more central location. The renovations that are occurring throughout housing are providing students with modern amenities and upgraded finishes, and we are making long-needed repairs while giving these halls new life.”    

And while she loves the historical aspects of renovations, O’Neal-Young can’t help but be excited about the new residence hall, which is set to be completed next summer.  

“There will be a laundry area and community rooms on each floor, a new amphitheater for students and a better walking path between buildings,” she said. “The con is parking, which has always been tricky around the Quad, but look how beautiful the landscape and hardscape is surrounding these buildings and how much the students sit in these areas and enjoy the weather. 

“Auburn still has the family feel of when I first attended here.”