Construction is now underway on Tennessee Tech’s new residence hall, a project aimed at expanding housing options for students and supporting future campus growth.
University Housing and Residential Life Executive Director Mike Reagle said crews have just begun the early stages of construction on the new building. Reagle said the project is designed to help the university meet growing demand for on-campus housing.
“We are building 400 beds,” Reagle said. “We have had a number of times where we have students that are wanting housing, upperclassmen specifically, and we’ve not been able to house all of those in the past.”
Reagle said the residence hall will include a mix of room styles, with about 280 traditional double rooms with community-style bathrooms and roughly 120 beds designed in a hotel-style layout. He noted that construction is currently in the site preparation phase, with dirt work underway.
“We are just beginning to move dirt right now,” Reagle said. “At this point, they are on schedule, and in fact they’re a little bit ahead in certain areas.”
Reagle said the roughly $60 million project will create a 102,000-square-foot facility designed not only for housing but also for student collaboration and success.
“All of the spaces that we’re looking at are designed around building community within that building,” Riegel said. “Kitchen areas, social spaces, and study areas will all assist in student success and help students be successful inside the classroom.”
Reagle said seeing dirt being moved is an exciting step in the project.
“It’s extremely exciting,” Reagle said. “We have been working on this for the last couple of years, designing a building that fits the campus while also giving students the spaces they need to succeed.”