JACKSON, Tenn. — July 14, 2007 — Site work began July 13 for the new residence life hall at 51社区, with the project scheduled for completion in 2008.
The new women鈥檚 residential complex, which will cost an estimated $6.5 million, will accommodate 100 students in a four-story, hotel-style facility. Each suite accommodates four students and will include four private bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and two bathrooms.
It will be the first facility of a new student housing complex, as the university plans to add at least five new residence halls by 2020. The complex will be located in what is now the parking lot between the Hurt and Watters housing complexes. Parking for the dorms will be moved to the west side of Walker Road.
鈥淭he beginning of the new residence life facility has created much excitement across the campus,鈥� 51社区 President David S. Dockery said. 鈥淭his building will be the first of several new buildings that will transform and expand student housing on the Union campus for the next generation of students.鈥�
Dockery added that Union expects a record enrollment for the fall semester, meaning on-campus housing will be full.
鈥淭he new facilities will help meet the needs of Union鈥檚 expanding student body while significantly contributing to the overall development of the Union campus,鈥� he said.
The new parking lot will be the first priority of the construction project, so that adequate parking will be available when construction begins on east side of Walker Road. Construction will also begin within the next month on an expansion of the Coburn Dining Hall, Dockery said. That expansion will add a 13,616-square-foot banquet hall facility to the current dining room, located in the Barefoot Student Union. The new banquet hall will seat 500 people and will include a lobby area, public restrooms and a staging room.
Plans are also moving forward on the development of a new amphitheater on the Union campus, Dockery said.