University of Holy Cross Announces New Residence Hall

University of Holy Cross in New Orleans plans to break new ground next year as officials recently announced the $14 million construction of the Algiers university's first-ever residence hall.

The 60,000-square-foot building will house up to 135 students who are either local or out-of-state. Set for completion ahead of the 2018-19 school year, the four-story building will have single bedroom suites, two-bedroom suites equipped with living rooms, and four-bedroom suites that have kitchens. Officials said the rooms also have private bathrooms. 

University of Holy Cross

Officials touted the construction as one of the largest economic development projects this year on the West Bank of New Orleans. It would not only be the West Bank's first-ever university residence hall, but it is also the latest construction task at the Catholic university since the building of its A&P Lab in 2004.

At a ceremony for the new building, University of Holy Cross President Dr. David M. "Buck" Landry said the project marks the university's "transitional period" into a residential campus. He said "by this time next year," officials plan to have a wrought iron fence in place around the front of the campus that will be locked from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. The university is in talks with Entergy to install lighting around the area, he added.

"We'll have it fully open and ready to go for the fall semester of 2018, which will begin in the middle of August," Landry said.

Work on the residence hall began in July after the task was awarded to The McDonnel Group, and exterior work for the first and second floors is already completed. Once completed, the wireless WiFi equipped building will have a kitchen, living room, conference centers and two study rooms each on the second, third and fourth floors. The building will also include a prayer and meditation room, a fitness center, postal area and laundry facilities.

University officials stated the hall is expected to increase university enrollment, which stands at 1,301 students in the university's undergraduate and graduate programs. In a released statement, Algiers Economic Development Foundation Executive Director Derrick Martin stated the building will cause a "positive ripple financial effect in the community" from its new residents.

"It's a $14 million dollar investment that's probably going to lead into another 101 years or further" for the university, Martin added.

Featured

  • Illinois State University Breaks Ground on College of Fine Arts Transformation

    Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts transformation project, according to university news. The series of new constructions and renovations will upgrade spaces in Centennial East, the Center for the Visual Arts, and the Center for the Performing Arts, as well as replace the existing Centennial West facility with a new Commons Building.

  • Full Sail University Announces First Student Housing Facility

    Full Sail University in Winter Park, Fla., recently announced that development has begun on its first student housing community, according to a news release. The university is partnering with Nvision Development for construction and long-term management of the facility, which will stand five stories and have the capacity for more than 570 beds.

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.