New residence hall coming
for honors students

Plans are moving forward to demolish the four remaining Towers residence halls this summer, replacing the 1960s-era high-rise buildings on Blossom Street with an honors residence hall to open by fall 2008.

“This will be a 600- to 700-bed residence hall, incorporating a lot of input we've received from student focus groups,” said Gene Luna, director of University Housing. “We're aiming for Gold LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and a landscape plan that will speak well of the University at this very visible location.”

The residence hall will house first- and second-year Honors College students. Once construction is complete, Maxcy College, the current freshman honors dorm, will house freshmen and sophomores from the general student population, along with Columbia Hall and Capstone.

Current plans call for clusters that would include a common living area for 12 students in either single- or double-occupancy rooms. Bathrooms shared by two to four students would be incorporated into each cluster. A learning center will be part of the main building.