Goodbye For Now, Graham Area

By Dylan Crews

Graham Hall Construction. Photo provided from the University of Florida's Library Archives.

Established in 1853, the University of Florida came equipped with a select few dormitories (namely Buckman and Thomas). Over the years, others began to populate the campus. In 1961, the Graham area was built. Simpson, Trusler, and Graham halls stood proud on Museum Road for sixty years before the university decided it was time for an upgrade.

During the summer of 2025, the Graham area was shut down and roped off. Students were moved out at the end of the spring semester before the doors to Graham and Trusler were shut for good. Simpson remained open, home to the Innovation Academy students, and closed permanently in August.

Graham Hall. Photo provided from the University of Florida's Library Archives.

Former resident Grace Thomford spent her freshman year in Graham hall. “I loved living in Graham Hall,” she said. “My fondest memory has to be the late nights spent prank calling with my friends; we would stay up way too late eating snacks from Graham Market and coming up with the most ridiculous prompts we could think of.”

The dorm experience is quintessential to one’s college experience, but what’s a dorm hall without the traces of mold in the air conditioning and old, unreliable plumbing. Floods were constant and it was to be expected that at least one bathroom and/or shower was out of order at all times. Outages were consistent and GroupMe’s were exploding with tenant complaints.

According to an article written on the destruction by the Independent Florida Alligator, “‘Survival of the fittest’: UF plans to build new dorms amid complaints of mold, bugs and floods” by Sofia Meyers, UF poured $1.1 billion into a 10-year plan to create more on-campus housing. The alteration of Graham Area kicked off this mission.

Sophomore Melani Lamela spent her first year at UF in Trusler. In a moment of true curiosity to see if the rumors were true, she stopped by the building not long after the tear-down process began.

“I remember driving past the Trusler area abd saw the complete destruction of a place I made so many memories in,” Lamela said. “Although Trusler had questionable plumbing and overall wasn’t in the best condition, the memories I made will always be worth it.”

It’s a sad farewell for the many students who lived within the walls of each of the three buildings, but it is not a complete farewell. The dorm halls will be rebuilt and regain their full potential again.

“I am a little sad to see Graham go,” said Thomford. “The actual building itself I don’t feel tied to and, honestly, I hope it gets replaced with a less moldy, more beautiful space on campus.”