The University of Tampa (UT) recently began construction on a new residence hall.
Ground was broken on the university's seventh
residence hall -- tentatively named Residence Hall VII -- on March 22nd on-campus at North A Street between North Boulevard and North Brevard Avenue.
At approximately 193,000-square-feet, Residence Hall VII will house 523 rooms total. Each room will be suite-style with a common living room, four single bedrooms and two bathrooms. The $38 million project will also feature two large community rooms, multiple student lounges, a laundry room and common kitchen area.
“
UT has seen enrollment quadruple over the last 17 years to 6,738 total students in the 2011-2012 school year,” says Eric Cárdenas, UT's director of public information and publications. “That, coupled with an increased desire of students to live on campus, has fueled our need to increase campus housing.”
According to Cárdenas, about 65 percent of full-time UT students live in on-campus housing. Because of this, large groups of UT students have been housed in nearby overflow hotels such as the
Howard Johnson Hotel in
Downtown Tampa.
“We believe students living in comfortable environs strengthens their sense of community and enhances their academic experience,” Cárdenas says. “This residence hall is intended to build a sense of community and allow for positive student interaction.”
Over the past 15 years, UT has built or renovated 25 buildings on-campus, investing more than $280 million into construction. Designed by the
Beck Group, the new 11-story residence hall is slated for completion in August 2013.
Writer:
Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Eric Cárdenas,
UT
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