Houghton University’s East Hall to feature Sastic Courtyard

The creation of Sastic Courtyard marks a milestone in the ongoing 15-month renovation of Gillette Hall, Houghton University’s largest residence hall.

As part of an $11.6 million donor-funded capital project, Sastic Courtyard is a prominent feature of the comprehensive renovation of both the interior and exterior of the building which first opened in 1957. Begun in May 2025, the project will be completed in August 2026, when the female residence hall will once again be known as East Hall.

Sastic Courtyard faces Genesee Street, providing students and visitors with an expanded and welcoming entrance, as well as outdoor recreational space. Sastic Courtyard is named in honor of Houghton alumni Drs. Jonathan ’75 and Lois (Morgan ’75) Sastic, who contributed $1 million to Houghton’s overall residence renewal efforts by investing in the future of East Hall where Lois once lived as a student.

“It is indeed a privilege,” remarked Dr. Lois Sastic, “to help foster a safe, healthy living environment that will enable future students to focus on both their academics and their personal relationships. The Houghton experience should include great living spaces, like East Hall, which help to build community.”

Sastic Courtyard will offer students, their families and friends an idyllic outdoor space to gather and facilitates entry to and exit from the building in an accessible manner. A newly created drive-up loops welcomes visitors directly to a covered entrance and provides immediate access to the newly installed centralized elevator within the renovated main lounge.

Sastic Courtyard will feature a gas firepit that was funded in part by a gift from the Houghton University Class of 2026. Outdoor seating and picnic tables with umbrellas overlook a portion of the Crystal Rork Arboretum and celebrate Houghton’s longstanding connections to its natural surroundings.

Now retired, Drs. Jonathan and Lois Sastic were partners in Oneonta Surgical Associates (Oneonta, NY). Along with fellow alumni, the Sastics helped build a practice that not only served its community well, but also encouraged its practitioners to engage in medical missions around the world. This mission took the Sastics to Taiwan, Kenya and Thailand.

The overall renovation of East Hall was made possible by a lead gift from Donald and Beverly (Roberts ’56) Greene. It is the first phase of an overall residence renewal effort across Houghton’s campus . The next priority is the extensive renovation of Shenawana Hall, which opened in 1961. To learn more about supporting residence renewal, please contact the Houghton University Office of Advancement at 585-567-9340 or advancement@houghton.edu.