Huntington to break ground on new residence hall
FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Huntington, Ind.-Huntington University will break ground on a new residence hall on July 12. Construction will be completed in time for move-in for the fall semester of 2008. "This new project reflects the momentum, growth, and vitality of our university," said Dr. G. Blair Dowden, president. "We have made bold plans for the future and, by working together, we have made steady progress toward those goals. I am very excited about what the future holds for Huntington University."
The back and side entrances of the new residence hall
The board of trustees' executive committee adopted a resolution Tuesday afternoon to proceed with construction. That morning, the City of Huntington Common Council unanimously approved both the second and third readings of an ordinance that allows the city to serve as a conduit for a tax-exempt bond issuance for the residence hall project without any cost or risk to the city.
"We are pleased that the city council passed the resolution without reservation," said Tom Ayers, vice president for finance. "The council understands that growth in the university will have a positive economic impact on the city. An increase in enrollment and staffing will bring increased business to the Huntington community."
The university's current housing capacity is 718 beds, including residence halls, Forester Village apartments and two campus-owned houses. During the 2006-2007 academic year, Huntington was at 93 percent of its housing capacity.
"With anticipated growth in this year's freshmen class and an incoming senior class larger than last year, we anticipate housing will be tight this year," said Jesse Brown, assistant dean for student development. "For the 2008-2009 academic year, our current housing will not be sufficient for the number of students we expect to enroll."
The InterDesign Group, Inc., of Indianapolis, Ind., created the design concept for the new residence hall, which is architecturally consistent with Miller and Meadows halls. The building will sit across from Miller and Meadows halls with the front entrance facing Lake Street. The new $6 to $7 million facility will have 154 beds and will primarily house freshman and sophomore students.
Fetters Construction Co. of Auburn, Ind., is the general contractor for the project. The same firm built the Science Hall and renovated Brenn Hall.
