The University of Notre Dame is taking another step toward meeting the housing needs of undergraduate students and supporting the communities these students call home with the construction of a new men’s residence hall on the east side of campus.
Integrating elements of Notre Dame’s collegiate gothic campus architecture style and cherished residential traditions, the hall will be situated in the East Quad, between Johnson Family Hall and the East Campus Research Complex, home to McCourtney Hall, where construction is also currently underway for a second interdisciplinary science and engineering research building.
“A Notre Dame education extends beyond the classroom, laboratory and studio to the experience of inclusive community in the residence halls. Rooted in the University’s Catholic mission, residential life endeavors to develop that sense of belonging and of responsibility that prepares students for leadership in their communities, our nation and the Church,” said University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “With the addition of this new hall, we are able to ensure that generations of students will receive the best possible Notre Dame education.”
In 2017 the University announced a strategic plan to strengthen campus residential communities, which included a six-semester residency requirement for undergraduate students, and a commitment to improve availability of on-campus housing options for transfer students. This new hall is another aspect to bringing that plan to life.
“Residential life continues to be one of the most distinctive components of the Notre Dame undergraduate experience, with the halls creating a base for many of our students’ spiritual, social, service and athletic activities,” said Rev. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., vice president for student affairs. “This new residence hall will help to further the University’s mission of educating both the mind and heart, and we look forward to witnessing the students who will soon reside in this hall support and learn from one another, deepen their faith, and form lifelong bonds.”
The four-story, 79,000-square-foot residence hall will house approximately 260 students and is expected to open in the summer of 2024. An arched opening on the first floor will serve as a unique feature that incorporates a walkway through the building and allows pedestrians continued east-west passage via an existing sidewalk. The resulting layout of the first-floor level provides an opportunity to feature communal areas on one side of the floor and quiet study spaces, a reading room and the hall chapel on the other side.
The new residence hall will have a mix of student room types including singles, doubles, quads and six-person rooms. Each floor will feature a community lounge with kitchens or kitchenettes as well as fitness, laundry and vending facilities located on the lower level. An outdoor patio will be featured on the west side of the new building.
The residence hall experience fosters community with each of the University’s current 32 undergraduate halls adopting their own unique character and traditions that generate loyalty and connection among their residents.