Facility to provide additional 400+ living spaces for upperclassmen
With the last beam in place and interior work beginning, Belmont University celebrated today the official “topping out” of its current residence hall construction project. The 139,000 square foot building will house 422 upperclassmen students and staff in a mix of apartment-style and suite-style rooms, making it the first residential facility on Belmont’s campus to offer both options. In addition to residential space, the project also includes the expansion and extension of the Thrailkill Garage to accommodate an additional 352 vehicles.
Belmont President Dr. Bob Fisher said, “Providing an exceptional student experience is a vital part of our University’s vision, and that means offering residential spaces that allow students to live close to their classrooms and engage fully in campus life. This new structure gives hundreds of our students an opportunity to be more involved in all that Belmont has to offer.”
The as-yet-unnamed new residence hall will feature a common study area on each floor with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a courtyard. Two multi-purpose rooms have also been incorporated on the lower level to accommodate classes or larger group meetings. Apartments on the building’s north end will feature an incredible view of the downtown Nashville skyline from the living room spaces.
Designed by EOA Architects and built by R.C. Matthews, the total construction cost for the project is $36.6 million. As it has with other recent projects, Belmont continues to emphasize environmental sustainability with this construction, even in terms of how the building is positioned. This new hall’s footprint was designed to save two large existing oak trees on the site, providing natural beauty and shade to the building and the courtyard. The facility also will use a high-efficiency drip irrigation system, water-saving faucet aerators and low ‘e’ insulated glass as well as energy efficient lighting, appliances and mechanical systems.
The residence hall represents one of three active campus construction sites. The Wedgewood Academic Center topped out in August and is scheduled to open fall 2014, while the new Academic and Dining Services Complex broke ground in March and is expected to be completed summer 2015. The University’s total investment in construction projects since 2003 now exceeds $442 million.
Photos from today’s event can be seen on the Belmont Photo Gallery.
