The University will soon begin preliminary work on the site of the proposed fourth building of Keohane Quadrangle.
Fencing will be put up around the site Feb. 8 and utility work will begin soon after, Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said.
The Board of Trustees has given approval for the preparatory work, and will decide whether to fully approve construction of the residence hall, deemed K4, at its February meeting, Moneta said.
The outside of the building will match the three existing Keohane buildings. The interior will be separated into two houses and will contain a mix of single rooms, doubles and suites. Moneta said the “very creative suites” would be two stories high, but declined to give further information.
Campus Council President Stephen Temple, a junior, said the suites would encourage more seniors to live on campus.
“This will obviously be a very popular dorm,” he said.
Moneta said the dorm will be an example of the kind of residence halls administrators envision for New Campus, and that it will help bring more students to McClendon Tower.
“That’s a lot of ambition for a small 150-bed building,” Moneta said.
University officials said they plan to complete the dorm in time for the Fall 2011 semester.
Moneta said the construction will not block paths between Edens Quadrangle and Main West Quadrangle, but that the utility work will be loud because it involves digging.
According to an e-mail sent Thursday night by Joe Gonzalez, associate dean for residential life, work may begin as early as 7 a.m., but work that could disrupt students will not start until 9 a.m.
In the message, sent to residents of Keohane and Edens late Thursday night, Gonzalez said electricity, water and steam may be cut off in those quadrangles occasionally, but that students will be informed of those disruptions beforehand.
He also invited students to a presentation about plans for the new residence hall to be held on the fifth floor of McClendon Tower at 9 p.m. Wednesday.
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