Students return to changed campus
August 27, 2014
By Brooke Hamilton
[email protected]
Five new dorms await students on campus, and those students have already encountered evidence of continued construction in academic buildings in the form of road closures.
Rose Street, between Huguelet Drive and Columbia Avenue, is closed due to construction on the infrastructure of the academic science building, said Penny Cox, director of housing project implementation and new strategies.
The project won’t be completed until Fall 2016, she said, though access to the street should not be restricted for all of that time.
“It’s a little frustrating right now,” computer science freshman Austin Heton said of the construction. “Down the line, it’ll be nice though. I’m excited.”
Many academic buildings are being renovated internally. Business management freshman Dillon Heichelbech agreed that the construction blocks were inconvenient.
“But it’ll be worth it when it’s done,” he said.
The final touches on the dorms, such as paint and classroom podiums, went in last-minute before classes started, Cox said.
“We focused mostly on the interior, making sure the buildings were ready for students to move in,” Cox said. “We still have more sod to lay and exterior to finish.”
The new residence halls, built by Education Realty Trust, a private developer, will house 2,382 students, Cox said.
“Contractors had a hard deadline. The last three weeks, workers had to work two shifts a day,” said Cox. “They added additional workers to meet the deadline.”
Champions Court I and II are North campus’ new additions and cost a combined $69.7 million. Champions Court I houses 740 students, while Champions Court II houses 427.
The Champions Court dorms house several living-learning programs.
On central campus, the new Haggin Hall has been constructed adjacent to Central Hall I and II, which were completed last year. The new dorm will feature double shared suites and is home to the healthcare residential college living-learning program.
Haggin Hall cost $19.5 million and houses 396 students, Cox said, compared to Central Hall I and II, which together cost $25.2 million and house 601 students.
On south campus, located behind William T. Young Library, are Woodland Glen I and II, which together cost $44.5 million to complete.
Students in the Woodland Glen dorms live in private bedrooms, Cox said, and the dorms house several more living-learning programs.
