Central State University Breaks Ground on Honors Dorm

On the campus of Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, officials recently broke ground on a new residence hall for students enrolled in the university’s Honors College. Construction on the $15-million facility is set to begin this month, be completed by July 2022 and open to students in time for the fall 2022 semester, according to local news.

The facility will cover 57,000 square feet of currently undeveloped space between the university’s library and the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center. The three-story facility will feature 119 beds, as well as amenities like multipurpose space, common areas, interactive study areas, and a lounge/dining area.

The CSU Honors College opened less than a year ago and has a current enrollment of a little more than 200 students. “Valedictorians, salutatorians, merit finalists…these individuals will be those high-achieving students, and this residence hall will hold many of those students,” said Dr. Jack Thomas, CSU President.

The facility was developed by national campus housing company University Housing Solutions. “This is going to be apartment-style housing—mostly two-bedroom units, but we do have one-bedroom studios, as well,” said Meghan Schmidt, the development director for University Housing Solutions.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine attended the groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, Aug. 6. “It’s always great to meet students and hear what their vision is and what they want to do,” he said.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • Sam Houston State University Completes Athletic Stadium Renovations

    Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, recently announced the reopening of Elliott T. Bowers Stadium after an extensive renovation project, according to a news release. The university partnered with Stantec and DLR Group for the project’s design.

  • CU-Lock Haven Receives $1.75M Gift for New Entrepreneurship, Media Center

    Commonwealth University-Lock Haven in Lock Haven, Penn., recently received a $1.75-million donation from entrepreneur and alumnus Nicholas Subich ’17, according to a university news release. The funds will go toward establishing the Nicholas Subich Center for Entrepreneurship and Media, a technology-driven hub for innovation and experiential learning.

  • Designing for Every Mind

    Learning environments have the power to shape not just what students know, but who they become. When a school is designed with genuine empathy—for the full range of ways students think, sense, and engage with the world—it becomes more than a building. It becomes a catalyst for growth, confidence, and belonging. That is the animating idea behind neurodiverse design, and it is one that is transforming how more architects and designers are thinking about school design.