(Canyon)—Incoming President J. Patrick O’Brien, invited guests and members of the West Texas A&M University community gathered on campus April 12 to break ground for a new three-story, coeducational residence hall that will feature “super suites” for upperclassmen.
Western Builders of Amarillo, Inc., will begin building the new residence hall almost immediately on the site where Terrill Hall stood before it was razed in December 2005.
Terrill Hall opened in 1957 and was last used for residential living in the mid-1990s.
The new residence hall, at a cost of $9.95 million, will feature 44 four-bedroom suites, with 176 beds in all. It is scheduled to open in time for the fall 2007 semester.
Juniors, seniors and graduate students will have priority in reserving space at the facility. Each suite will have a common living area and a mini-kitchen equipped with necessities like a full-size refrigerator and sink.
Each private bedroom will have a double bed and a semi-private bathroom.
“The desires and needs of our students have changed since the construction of our current residence halls, the last of which was built in 1971,” Gary Barnes, vice president for business and finance, said. “The retention of upper-level students on campus for additional semesters will enable more interaction with underclassmen and with the University, while further developing the type of on-campus environment and conditions that promote success for all students.”
Each bedroom in the new residence hall will have Internet and cable TV hookups. The building also will have a laundry room, group study room, multimedia room, a full kitchen and wireless Internet.
The new building will be a smoke-free facility with identification-card access.
For more information about living on campus at West Texas A&M, contact the Office of Residential Living at 806-651-3000.