As higher education looks to the future, many campuses are asking how to “return to space” by reinvesting in existing facilities rather than replacing them. Baylor University’s residence hall renovations show how historic and aging campus buildings can be returned to the present while being positioned for decades of continued use. Through design-build collaboration with Kirksey Architecture and JE Dunn, renovations to Collins, Memorial & Alexander, and Dawson & Allen Halls transformed legacy residence halls into safer, more accessible, sustainable, and community-focused living environments. This session will explore how preservation-minded design, adaptive reuse, Scan-to-BIM technology, infrastructure modernization, and life-safety coordination helped extend the life of these campus assets. Attendees will learn how strategic renovation decisions create future-ready facilities that support belonging, engagement, accessibility, and student success.