France Hall, Townhouse Apartments projects underway

There’s about to be a flurry of construction activity on campus. In fact, it’s already started.

Construction of the new Townhouse Apartments, a student housing complex on Main Street, is well underway, according to Associate VP for Facilities & Engineering Rod Morrison.

The complex will feature 15 contiguous 2-1/2 story, four-bedroom apartments built between Krieg Hall and King Hall, overlooking Rock Creek. The project will create 60 new student residences in two buildings, one with nine unites and one with six units.

Rod reports that excavation of the site has been completed, the foundation for one of the buildings has been poured and with a second to be poured this week. Weather permitting, walls could start to be framed in the next couple of weeks, he added. 

After extended planning and some unanticipated challenges, the France Hall restoration/renovation project also kicked off the week before Christmas with abatement of hazardous materials. Demo began late last week and construction moves into high gear this week.

When completed, France will provide about 70 beds for female students, two female faculty apartment annexes, our four female (including one mixed-gender) Greek society halls, a women’s leadership office, a restored parlor, a renovated multi-purpose event hall and a five-story elevator.

The France Hall project is being funded by generous donor gifts and our approved USDA low-interest, long-term loan.  The Main Street townhouse project is being fully funded by the USDA loan.

Targeted completion for both facilities is August for fall semester occupancy.

Additionally, planning and design meetings for the upcoming renovation of Miller Hall are also underway. “If all goes well with the scheduled completion of the town homes and France Hall, Miller renovation will begin this summer,” Rod said.