Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Northwestern College Breaks Ground on New Residence Hall

  • By Matt Jones
  • 05/10/23

Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, recently broke ground on a new, all-women’s residence hall, according to local news. The three-story facility will measure in at 45,000 square feet and cost an estimated $14 million. It will have the capacity for 157 beds and consist of two wings with two dorms on each side, as well as a large central gathering area and other common spaces on each floor. Construction is scheduled to begin in the first week of May and be complete by July 2024, local news reports.

“We can’t do without the facility that we have now, so this building will be constructed now and be ready by the summer of 2024,” said Northwestern College President Greg Christy. “So we’ll keep Colter Brenner Hall online until then, and then when we move into this new facility, we’ll take [it] down after we’ve moved into this new residence hall.” Christy cited increasing recruitment numbers as the cause for both building the new residence hall and keeping the old one active as long as possible.

The college also announced that the new residence hall will be named Christy Suites in honor of its president and his wife, Michelle. According to a college news release, the decision was made in response to a request from the project’s lead donors. Christy has served as president of Northwestern for fifteen years and has led efforts to construct or renovate ten new buildings and increase enrollment to a record 1,712 students, the release reports.

“I was speechless,” said Greg Christy. “I am deeply humbled and honored that they would think of doing something in honor of Michelle and me. It’s been a real honor to serve an institution that holds Christ-centered ideals. We have a very supportive board of trustees and dedicated and talented faculty and staff. Michelle and I believe deeply in the mission of Northwestern, and we believe deeply in our faculty and staff. It’s just a privilege to serve alongside them.”

About the Author

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

Featured

  • UNH Marks Construction Milestone on Oceanic Exploration Facility

    The University of New Hampshire in Durham, N.H., recently celebrated a major construction milestone with a beam-signing ceremony for the new Center of Excellence for Operational Ocean and Great Lakes Mapping, according to a news release. The facility’s ultimate goal is to support research, training and technical assistance in ocean mapping.

  • Designing the Bridge Between Inclusivity and Independence in K–12 Schools

    Fostering independence is fundamental to learning and development for K–12 students. It offers many proven benefits, such as enhanced confidence, problem-solving, decision-making, and social skills. However, this foundational objective loses its impact if it’s not accessible and adaptable to all students. Inclusivity plays a critical role in cultivating independence and healthy autonomy for students, fostering positive student learning outcomes by uniting pedagogy with the physical learning environment.

  • Growing Allied Health Workforce Demands Fueling Greater Need for Higher Education Facilities

    With the demand for healthcare professionals at an all-time high, colleges and universities are challenged with supporting the workforce demands in their own communities. Careers in allied health generally require specific training and/or certification, with some positions requiring degrees, certified credentials, and continuing education.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.