Residence hall construction to begin
To provide more space for juniors and seniors to live on campus, Wake Forest University will begin construction in late February on two new residence halls on the north side of campus.
The University’s Board of Trustees approved the project at its meeting last week.
Designed to add suite-style housing for 480 upper class undergraduate students, the residence halls will have a combined square footage of about 150,000 square feet and will be mirror images of each other. Connected by a courtyard, each building will incorporate study lounges, kitchens on every floor and a media room.
“The new residence halls will contribute to Wake Forest’s vibrant residential campus,” said Donna McGalliard, dean of residence life and housing.
Wake Forest raised its requirement for current first-year students to live on campus from two years to three. “More upper-class students living on campus will have a positive impact on campus life,” McGalliard said. “We’re very excited about the opportunity to bring more students back to campus. It contributes to a great sense of community.”
The two buildings, scheduled for completion in August of 2013, will be designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification — silver level standards.
The University is also developing plans for a dining facility adjacent to the residence halls.
“Expanding the footprint toward the north side of campus is consistent with the campus master plan,” said Hof Milam, senior vice president for finance and administration. “The new buildings will create a dynamic center of activity for juniors and seniors near other residence halls already designated for upperclassmen.”
The new facilities will be located west of Farrell Hall, the new home for the Schools of Business currently under construction.
“The residence halls will be brick and consistent with the neo-Georgian look we have as a standard on campus,” said Jim Alty, associate vice president for facilities & campus services. Frank L. Blum Construction Co., which built South Residence Hall on campus in 2010, will build the new facilities.
