Buies Creek, N.C.-Rain could not deter Campbell University from holding a groundbreaking ceremony for a new residence hall building on Monday, Nov. 23. The ceremony announcing the construction of the 38,200 square-foot facility was held inside the Rumley Center, next to the construction site.
Campbell President Jerry M. Wallace said the addition is a necessary step in providing for the needs of our students.
“The first thing students want to know when they come on campus is ‘Where do I eat, sleep and work out,'” Wallace said. “Our students deserve the very best and this is one of the ways of ensuring that their needs are met.”
The three-story residence hall, which will house female freshmen students in the fall, will contain 39 units and 147 beds. Each unit is designed to accommodate four people, two in each room, with a shared bathroom. A two-story, 1,000 square-foot commons area surrounded by glass walls allows maximum light and interaction with the environment.
Robert Bishop, principal designer of Little Diversified Architectural Consulting, referred to the building’s style as “forward looking with traditional elements.”
“We don’t like to be restricted by a particular architectural style,” Bishop said. “Our goal is to serve the needs of the students in the most attractive and efficient way possible.”
Over the past year, renovations have been made to other residence halls on campus.
Mike Meredith, president of the Student Government Association, thanked Campbell’s administration and staff for bringing new construction projects to campus over the past few years, including the John W. Pope, Jr. Convocation Center and many others.
“All of this has changed the campus in a positive way and provided so many new services to our students,” Meredith said.
Harnett County leaders also praised the addition of the new residence hall.
“Campbell University is growing and as Campbell grows so does the community,” said county commissioner Beatrice Hill. “This new project will also add jobs and act as a boon to county employment, which has experienced a downturn like the rest of the economy recently.”
Construction on the new $7 million residence hall is expected to be completed in July of 2010. The construction contractor is the T.A. Loving Company.
Photo Copy: Jim Roberts, vice president for Business, Faithe Beam, campus minister, Bob Barker, chairman of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Jerry Wallace, president, Mike Meredith, SGA executive president, and Dr. Dennis Bazemore, vice president for Student Life, participated in the residence hall groundbreaking ceremony.