The New School Free Press is profiling each dorm the school has to offer. We started with Stuyvesant Park, and now we’re covering Kerrey Hall. Let us know which one you’d like to see next.
Kerrey is one of three residence halls at The New School dedicated primarily to housing first-year students. Its prime location makes it a popular choice for students focused on practicality; if you’re looking for the most convenient place to live on-campus, it doesn’t get any better than Kerrey.

Hariette Hedvat is a first-year Strategic Design and Management student at Parsons School of Design. Since the fall 2025 semester, she’s lived above the University Center at Kerrey Hall.

“I took a tour of Kerrey before I had committed [to The New School],” said Hedvat. “I really liked how it was very convenient—how close it was to all of my classes.”

Many may choose Kerrey because it feels fresh. Having opened in fall 2013, Kerrey is also the most recently constructed dorm.

Kerrey was Hedvat’s first choice on the Housing Preference Form, and she’s satisfied with it thus far. Along with Hedvat, Kerrey is designed to accommodate 617 students across its eight floors.

Hedvat, who hails from Greenwich, Connecticut, lived within 40 miles of the university, meaning she could have been granted an exemption from the first-year on-campus housing requirement. However, she opted to live on campus in order to avoid long commute times, and because of her desire for a traditional college dorm experience. “Even though it’s very easy to get [here from Greenwich], it is kind of still a little bit of a trek,” Hedvat said. At Kerrey, though, she says her “farthest class is a six-minute walk.”

Like all residence halls at TNS, Kerrey arranges its bedrooms together to form suites. At Kerrey, suites are designed to house two, four, or six people in combinations of single and double rooms.

Hedvat lives in a four-person suite consisting of two double rooms adjoined by a common area with a kitchenette, dining table, and a full bathroom. 

Each kitchenette has a microwave, stovetop, fridge, and sink. “A lot of colleges don’t have kitchens in the dorms,” said Hedvat. “I’m glad to even have a stove, a microwave, and a sink.” In a shared space, however, dishes can pile up very quickly. Hedvat complained that the small size of the sink makes that especially difficult. 

Main Lobby

Kerrey’s main lobby is roomier than those at the university’s other residences. It accommodates many students with a long seating area set against the wall. At this entrance, 24/7 security assists residents who want to check in a guest in or non-resident students who wish to use the fitness center during open hours.

TV Lounge

Kerrey residents also enjoy access to a spacious TV lounge. The basement lounge features plenty of seating, a TV, a ping-pong table, a pool table, and a grand piano that residents often take the liberty of playing to provide ambiance.

Laundry Room

On the basement level, Kerrey’s laundry room consists of 22 washing machines, 26 dryers, a large sink for garments that can’t be machine-washed, and tiered tables for preparing and folding clothes. Like all laundry rooms at TNS, the machines are free for residents to use. However, Hedvat did mention that the washing machines occasionally soil loads with what appears to be “smears of dirt” that prompt an additional cycle.

Practice Rooms

Residents at Kerrey have access to four soundproofed music practice rooms. Each practice room is stocked with an upright piano, and one contains a drumset. Musicians who use electronic instruments should note that the practice rooms do not have wall outlets.

Art Room

Kerrey residents engaged in the arts may find themselves using the residence hall’s art room to work on their artistic endeavors of every kind, space permitting. 

The Reiss Family Fitness Center

Kerrey Hall’s gym, officially named the Reiss Family Fitness Center, is open 24/7 for Kerrey Hall residents. The fitness center is relatively sizable, with a bench press, five treadmills, four bikes, three ellipticals, a punching bag, yoga mats, free weights, medicine balls, and more. This gym is also accessible to every student at the university from the hours of 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. daily. 

Mailroom

Kerrey’s mailroom sits directly across from the laundry room on the basement level. Each resident is assigned their own mailbox, and packages can be picked up from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Residents of Kerrey Hall can access many campus facilities without even stepping outdoors. Since the UC is in the same building as Kerrey, facilities such as the dining hall, the University Center Library, classrooms, and lounge spaces can be accessed rapidly through Kerrey’s sixth-floor interior entrance.

Ariston

Across Fifth Avenue, Kerrey residents may enjoy the ambience of Ariston Flowers and Cafe. Open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on most days, Ariston provides a comfortable and delightfully aromatic space to wind down with a warm latté, surrounded by flowers.

CVS

There are drug stores on every block in New York City, but not all of them are open 24/7. The CVS at the base of the UC on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 14th Street is a perfect all-hours solution for Kerrey residents. Whether you need to withdraw cash from an ATM, go on a late-night ice cream run, or pick up cough drops for an unexpected illness, CVS has you covered.

Merci Market

All first-years at TNS are required to sign up for a meal plan. Because Kerrey is primarily a first-year residence hall, students may want to take advantage of off-campus merchants that accept Dining Dollars Plus. Across 13th Street from the UC, Merci Market on Fifth Avenue is one of these, offering convenient eats and groceries. Merci offers students traditional New York deli staples, basic groceries, and a buffet-style food bar suitable for a weekday lunch.

University Place

University Place sits one block east of Kerrey. This iconic Greenwich Village street runs from the southwest corner of Union Square to the northeast corner of Washington Square Park. Known for its abundance of restaurants and storefronts, the street is a popular destination among students of both TNS and its neighbor, New York University. Highlights include the upscale thrift store 2nd Street, the Japanese grocery store Hashi Market, Mimi’s Frozen Yogurt, and Bagel Pub.

Washington Square Park

Less than 10 minutes from Kerrey by foot, few places in the area can eclipse Washington Square Park on a warm day. A quintessential New York City park, Washington Square Park is consistently bustling with people of all ages and backgrounds. For Kerrey residents who are looking to meet somebody new, enjoy a deli sandwich, or chat with a friend, Washington Square Park might be their spot.

When it comes to transportation options, Kerrey remains one of the most convenient options for on-campus residents; its central location on Fifth Avenue makes it convenient to nearly every bus and subway line that runs through Greenwich Village. 

Not only is it just one block from the 14th St–Union Square station, but it also boasts a particular proximity to subway lines that run along Sixth Avenue, including the B, D, F, and M trains. The A, C, E, 1, 2, and 3 trains are also within walking distance. 

Residents may also take advantage of several bus routes, such as the crosstown M14 Select Bus Service and the uptown and downtown M55, M1, M2, and M3 routes. 

Kerrey is a five to ten minute walk to most academic buildings, including Parsons at 2 W. 13th St., Parsons East, the Lang Annex and Johnson-Kaplan Hall, 39 W. 13th St., Arnhold Hall, and the Albert and Vera List Academic Center. 

Compared to the university’s other residence halls, Kerrey offers abundance. Its proximity to a variety of facilities and amenities makes it the best choice for students who prioritize ease. 

Aside from Kerrey’s viability for residents, its name has been the subject of recent controversy. The New School Free Press reported on Feb. 8 that Bob Kerrey, former President of The New School and residence hall’s namesake, was revealed to have met with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on several occasions. 

On Feb. 18, NSFP also reported on incidents of anti-Kerrey graffiti on the residence hall. 

Since then, the University Student Senate has moved to formally recommend that the residence hall be renamed in light of Kerrey’s connection to Epstein. 

NSFP reached out to Merrie Snead, associate director of communications, for comment. “The university recognizes that there have been concerns expressed regarding the naming of Kerrey Hall,” Snead said. “While there is no plan to revisit the building’s name, we remain open to hearing concerns and discussing issues.”