University administrators and housing officials are working to select a suitable location for a proposed new residence hall, but it remains unclear when construction on the new building will begin. The $30 million residence hall would house more than 400 first-year students.
Members of the University Campus Planning Committee met with administrators in July to select a site for the new building. However, planners and administrators came away from the meeting without making a final decision, University Planning Associate Christine Thompson said.
University Planning Director Chris Ramey said there was no decision on the new residence hall’s location as of early September, but University Housing Director Mike Eyster said he thinks planners will make a decision by the end of the month.
“We need a decision soon in order not to delay this project by another year,” Eyster said. He said the final decision rests with University President Dave Frohnmayer.
The project — known as the “Living Learning Center” because planners aim to integrate academic and living environments for students — would be the first new on-campus housing in more than 40 years.
Eyster said there are a few possible locations for the new hall. The first site is between Earl and Walton complexes, where outdoor basketball and tennis courts currently sit. If the University selects the site, it might build two separate structures, creating a quadrangle. One building would be adjacent to East 15th Avenue and the other would be built just south of the walkway between Carson Hall and the existing tennis courts.
A second configuration would place buildings on either side of the existing walkway, with buildings near Carson and Walton.
The other area being considered is a site near Bean Complex, where basketball courts are currently situated.
Eyster said academics could be a major factor in the new residence hall’s design. The building would feature a large auditorium-sized classroom along with shared “touch-down” offices where faculty members could hold office hours.
“It’s important for faculty to have access to this facility,” Eyster said. “Some courses would be taught there, and we would want to try to attract faculty members who are interesting in a Living Learning Center setting.”
The new residence hall would be roughly 142,000 square feet in size. Eyster said that if the site near Bean is chosen, the building would be smaller and not contain a classroom or offices. He added that the distance from campus would also reduce its academic importance and that the building would be constructed as a regular residence hall, rather than as the Living Learning Center.