WILLIAM PATERSON UNIVERSITY BEGINS CONSTRUCTION ON NEW RESIDENCE HALLS
—Project is part of University’s master plan, designed to meet needs of faculty and students

William Paterson University in Wayne has begun construction for two new residence halls designed to accommodate the growing demand for on-campus housing.

“This project is another milestone in the implementation of our campus development and renovation plans that will ensure that we provide students and faculty with an optimal academic environment,” said William Paterson University President Arnold Speert. “The increased residential atmosphere enhances the University’s ability to serve all students.”

The two facilities will be built into the hillside on College Road opposite Hillside Hall, one of the University’s residence halls.

Scheduled for occupancy by September 2005, one residence hall will house 188 students; the other will accommodate 184 students. The additional 372 beds will bring the University’s residential capacity to nearly 2,700 students housed in 10 residence halls. The $30 million project will be funded by bonds issued through the New Jersey Educational Facilities Authority.

In conjunction, the perimeter road around the University’s campus is currently being re-routed to bypass the student housing area, thus diverting traffic away from the student residence halls. Construction on the new road is scheduled for completion in summer 2005.

“As our resident population grows, our commitment to maintaining a pedestrian-friendly campus also increases. The new road will prevent students from having to cross the roadway to get to class,” said Speert. “We are extremely grateful to Congressman Bill Pascrell for his instrumental role in gaining the $2.5 million in federal funding for construction of this new road.”

In addition, the Passaic County Freeholders were supportive and helpful in effecting the construction of the road.

Each new four-story residence hall will be comprised of three wings. Four to five suites – which include two double rooms and a bathroom – will be clustered around a common lounge. The cluster design allows students to interact in a more comfortable setting, and yet maintain their privacy.

Lounges face the fronts of the buildings, which will feature glass window façades designed to maximize light and take advantage of wooded views of the campus. Each residence hall will be pre-wired for Internet usage, barrier free for wheelchair accessibility, and include a laundry room and a large lounge on the ground floor. One of the residence halls will include a classroom and a seminar room, to be used for academic and student activities programming. The buildings were designed by Seyffer & Koch Architectural Group of Glen Rock, in association with H2L2 of Philadelphia.

The new facilities are an important aspect of the University’s pursuit of its Student Success Plan and Facilities Master Plan, which recognize the continually growing student demand for on-campus living and the student development benefits available to residential students. The University is currently in the midst of a $40 million expansion and renovation of the Machuga Student Center, designed to meet the wide-ranging needs of the institution’s commuter and resident students. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2006.

William Paterson’s Facilities Master Plan calls for a total of six new residence halls. Based on continuing demand for housing, two more residence halls are planned for the fall of 2007, with two more slated for 2009. Since 1994, four new residence buildings have opened, expanding the University’s residential capacity to 2,300 students.

The current projects follow the opening two years ago of the University’s state-of-the-art academic building at 1600 Valley Road in Wayne, which houses the Christos M. Cotsakos College of Business, the College of Education, the Center for Continuing Education and Distance Learning, the Russ Berrie Institute for Professional Sales, and the E*TRADE Financial Learning Center. The Power Art Center, the University’s building devoted to the studio arts, opened in spring 2000.

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For more information, contact: Mary Beth Zeman, 973-720-2444, zemanm@wpunj.edu