The Wren Building, the oldest college edifice still in continuous use in the country, is usually full of students this time of year, but it has been uncharacteristically empty since last October.

Renovations on the building, which was built more than 300 years ago, began last fall. The newly restored Wren Building should reopen by late November and will hold classes next semester, according to Louise Kale, manager of the historic campus.

"The project's primary objective was the replacement of old heating, air-conditioning and electrical systems because all the systems were beyond their expected life spans," Kale said.

Other changes include the replacement of rotted wood trim, painting and masonry work.

According to Kale, one of the renovation project's goals has been to make improvements while maintaining the building's historic atmosphere, particularly in the first and second floors, which are visited frequently by tourists.

The basement, the attic and the third floor will have traditional sprinkler systems and smoke detectors. The first and second floors, however, will have smoke detectors hidden above the ceiling and emergency lights on hidden panels.

Heating, cooling and ventilation have been improved in one classroom in the basement. The room used to be so cold that students wore coats and gloves while taking their final exams in December, according to Kale.

"It will have better lighting; it will be a safer building; it will be more usable and more comfortable," Kale said. "But it should look pretty much the same."

The chapel's makeover will consist of a refurbished chandelier and organ and a new wrought-iron replacement for the old balcony railing, which was made of a curtain rod. The chapel will open this month for weddings.

According to Kale, alumni often request to have their weddings in the Wren Chapel, and eight couples have been waiting for more than a year to have their weddings there.

The Wren Building is older than the city of Williamsburg. Since its construction, between 1695 and 1699, Wren has been gutted by fire three times, in 1705, 1859 and 1862. After each fire, it has been rebuilt on the original foundation, using as much of the original walls as could be salvaged.

Kale estimates that slightly less than half of the building's exterior is from the original structure. The interior dates almost entirely from Wren's last major renovation, which occurred in the late 1920s to early 1930s and was sponsored by John D. Rockefeller Jr.

The Wren Building is a popular tourist attraction because of its long history, Kale said. The building served as temporary headquarters of Virginia's government from 1700 to 1704 while the Williamsburg Capitol was being built. Wren was also home to Thomas Jefferson while he attended the College.