Students just seem to prefer new over old.
To illustrate, the resource room where I tutor was renovated last summer. Before the renovation, I used to see about 12 students per semester. Now I tutor an average of 10 students per week, and I think this dramatic increase was partially due to the new look of the room. For incoming students majoring in biology or chemistry, this building will allow them more opportunities than before. Students will spend less time doing tedious tasks and more time exploring science, which is why we are here in the first place.