Construction of new residence hall at Monmouth College is on schedule
Release Date: March 8, 2005
MONMOUTH, Ill. — Because Monmouth
College’s enrollment continues to grow ahead of schedule,
construction of a new residence hall on the northwest side of
campus is also on the fast track, according to Pete Loomis,
director of physical plant.
The decision to build the $6.4
million facility to accommodate 131 students this coming fall,
Loomis said, was made at last October’s board meeting, meaning
construction had to begin almost immediately, before winter
weather set in.
“We actually had all the
footings poured before the architect had completed the design work
for the rest of the building,” he explained.
Bob Happ, projection
superintendent for the construction company building the facility,
said that the current expedited schedule is not unusual, and that
modern construction methods make it possible to complete major
building projects much more quickly than was possible in the past.
“We have also been
blessed with a pretty mild winter,” Happ said. “We had to contend
with some rainy days in January, but all in all, we’re right on
schedule.”
The building has been
enclosed since February, allowing crews to begin installing walls
for individual rooms, bathrooms and closets, along with plumbing
and electrical service. Most of the rooms will be in a “quad”
arrangement, with two double rooms adjoining a single bathroom.
Happ said that shingling
of the massive roof is beginning soon and that bricklayers are
standing by to begin work on the exterior walls as soon as weather
permits.
The elegant three-story
building will complement the recently completed Bowers Hall,
located one block south, which was designed by the same architect
in the classic Georgian style.
The new building will
contain two lounges, a lounge/kitchen, an elevator, a laundry room
and a head resident’s apartment. Each living unit will contain its
own climate control.
The construction company
hopes to finish most of its work by July, in order to allow time
for furnishings to be brought in and interior decoration to be
completed prior to the beginning of the fall semester on Aug. 29.
Monmouth College is
anticipating an opening fall enrollment of 1,320, which would
represent a 5.4 percent increase over last year’s enrollment. With
the exception of 1999, Monmouth’s enrollment has grown in each of
the last 13 years.
The yet-to-be named
facility is the latest in a series of new and renovated residence
halls, which since 2001 have increased the college’s capacity by
362 new beds. Last year’s opening of the Founders Village
apartment complex added 84 beds.
Released
by the Office of College Communications
Barry McNamara, Associate Director of College Communications
Phone: 309-457-2117
Fax: 309-457-2330
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