BOSTON — The Fenton building, located at 32 Derne St. in Boston, Mass., is in need of renovations, according to Suffolk University students. This historic building, named after Suffolk University Law School alumnus Judge John E. Fenton, had its last complete renovation in 1975 upon the buildings’ purchase by Suffolk University, according to Suffolk University Archives.

The six-story commercial space directly across from the north end of the State House was originally built in 1913.

In the early 70s, the building was purchased by Suffolk University in order to make room for the growing Colleges of Liberal Arts and Business Administration.

Prior to the renovation and dedication of the Fenton building in 1975, many of the undergraduate classes were held in different small properties that were scattered across the North Slope of Beacon Hill. The new expansion allowed Suffolk University to create more classrooms and office spaces.

Judge John E. Fenton, a native of Lawrence, Mass., graduated from Suffolk University Law School in 1924 and then he served on the Massachusetts Land Court for many years while maintaining a watch over Suffolk University as a member of the Board of Trustees. In 1965, Fenton was appointed President of Suffolk University. Fenton remained the University’s president until 1970.

Resources within the Fenton building currently include academic, administrative and student resources. Offices and services located within the building are academic offices including, English, humanities, modern languages education, human services, math and computer science administrative offices, and student resources such as a Computer Lab and Language Lab.

One Suffolk University student, Rachael Weiner, 19, a marketing major, recalls when she had an art history class in the Fenton building — “The Fenton building is really run down and it seems like no one cares to fix it up. The Sawyer building is really nice inside whereas the Fenton building looks torn up.” When asked whom she thought John E. Fenton was, she assumed that he was a Suffolk University alumni, “who must have been a math major or something.”

Several other students, such as Sophia Harden, Ashley Proloux, and Elizabeth Calvanese, also did not know who Fenton was, except that he was a Suffolk University alumni. These students also shared the same feelings that the inside of the Fenton building was less than presentable.

The Fenton building at Suffolk University is named after a great man who did a lot for Suffolk University and his community. Numerous students noted that it only seems right that a building named after him should represent a respectful presence and the University as a whole. Suffolk University has no current plans of doing any renovations on the building, as archives and library staff pointed out.