A new place to call home

Privatized campus residence hall 

scheduled for fall 2008 completion

Plans are under way to break ground for a West Village residence hall designed to provide a home away from home for more than 600 TU freshmen and sophomores.

The project, to be constructed and operated by the Birmingham, Ala.-based Capstone Development Corp., is expected to begin this spring following approval by the Maryland Board of Public Works.

More than 3,800 students live on campus—about 3,430 in TU-owned residence halls and 410 in Capstone’s Millennium Hall, which opened in 2000.

The as-yet unnamed residence hall will consist of two L-shaped structures, each four to five stories tall, to be erected between Millennium Hall and Towson Run Apartments.

David Mayhew, director of archtecture, engineering and construction for Facilities Management, says the project is scheduled to be completed in fall 2008.

Each of the approximately 320 rooms will consist of two beds and a shared bath. “These are traditional, underclassman-type accommodations,” Mayhew says. "Both buildings will provide study lounges and meeting spaces, as well as apartments for RAs and Housing and Residence Life coordinators."

He notes that TU’s Master Plan calls for the construction of a dining hall to serve West Village residents. Until then, students living in the newest facility will use existing campus eateries.

Jerry Dieringer, director of Housing and Residence Life, says his department will have a visible and active presence in the newest West Village residence hall.  

Dieringer points out that although Capstone will own and operate it, “Residence Life staff will be there to provide the same quality experience that resident students receive in university-owned housing.”

He says his staff will provide programming, along with assisting students with personal issues and helping them adjust to campus life. “They’ll also enforce university policy, if needed,” he adds.

The new facility won't affect the way Housing and Residence Life assigns campus housing. "We'll work with Capstone in referring students to these buildings," Dieringer says.

Story by Jan Lucas/image courtesy of Capstone Development Corp.

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