Mountain State University students who plan to live on campus this fall will have the chance to hang their Cougar hat in a newly constructed residential hall that offers all the comforts of home. This building is scheduled to be finished in two weeks, and students will start moving into the facility in September. University officials are organizing an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony for October.
The new hall will provide housing for more than 200 students, with 186 single rooms grouped together for students to live in suites or family apartments. In these suites, four single rooms share a common living area, kitchen and bathroom.
MSU President Dr. Charles Polk stated that through this new construction, the university aims to ?respect the wishes of today?s student. Today students are leaving their parents? home where they have been used to living in their own space.? Providing individualized living space will allow these students to reach their full potential, he said.
Dr. Cindy Alexander, MSU Vice President of Administration, echoed Polk?s sentiment regarding the new residential hall?s atmosphere. ?There is nothing about it that feels like a dorm. I am really excited. If I were a student again, this is a place I would want to live,? she said.
In addition to the comfort of separated living space, the construction offers many other homey features. Ken Wilson, President of Jim Ingledue Construction Inc. (JICI) and Campus Housing Solutions, pointed out indoor balconies on the second and fourth floors that overlook the common areas, or lounges, below. Students who study and hang out in lounges on the first and third floor, he said, can sit near a striking stone electric fireplace.
Wilson also announced that each floor will have laundry rooms, and that 10 foot ceilings and large windows make the living quarters feel more roomy. He also stated that the residence hall will have mailbox accommodations, public restrooms on each floor, Wi-Fi, all necessary security and video surveillance, full wheelchair accessibility on the first floor, and a centrally located elevator.
In addition to suite living, there will be two single, RA suits on each floor. These suites will have a private room, sitting area, bathroom and kitchenette. One and two bedroom apartments, said Alexander, will be offered as married student housing. ?Drawing in married residential students is new and exciting,? she said. ?We are will offer married student meal plans to encourage this demographic.?
The construction has gone quickly, said Wilson, despite the quantity of snow and rainfall in the past year. ?JICI and Campus Housing Solutions are honored to be a part of the expansion and transformation of MSU and want to espouse the highest quality of construction. The end result shows the great partnership between our firm and the university,? he stated.
The building?s construction, said Polk, is another step in the right direction for the university; ?Our objective is the make this a residential campus. While we currently have residential students, this residential hall will bring in a new dimension on campus.? The President went on to say that in two years the university expects to have another new residential hall on Beaver Ave. He plans on taking one year to adjust to this current construction, and another year to build the proposed structure. ?Ultimately we would like to have 600-800 beds available on campus,? confirmed Polk.
Alexander remarked that the rest of the campus will be undergoing changes to accommodate the influx of residential students. She expects other major projects such as a student center and recreational center. They have already renovated the Cougar Den, the campus dining hall, and the Cougar Cafe to accommodate more students and enhance student life, she said.
?We want the public to know that this is a new initiative and making this a full service residential campus will greatly benefit the community and enhance the commerce of downtown Beckley and Raleigh County,? concluded Polk.