A new residence hall is one of the many construction projects currently in progress at Temple.
The hall, which we will call New Resdience II (slang: New II), will be ready for Spring 2001 and will hold 1,000 students. University housing currently refers to the five story by one square block as Cecil B. Moore.
The new building has raised slight concern among the Temple community, especially regarding the utilization of space. Why is the building only five stories tall, yet takes up an entire square block?
Will there be any open space for that exciting game of frisbee or hackey sack in the spring?
University Housing is assured that these two concerns were addressed in planning and construction, and have reasonable explanations.
New II will supply housing for approximately 1,000 students and offer some previously unavailable options, including three different full suite rooming options.
Two and four person suites will be similar to those now offered at New Residence and White Hall, two person: one bedroom, four person: two bedrooms. The new option will be the one-person studio, although these rooms will be the smallest in number.
Pricing rates for the rooms are still going through approval, but as Harry Knabe, Assistant Director for Assignments and Billing at Housing, said, “The amenities will be different, nicer and therefore more expensive than Towers.”
Though many believe the University was concerned solely with streamlining housing and packing students in whatever space available, housing asserts students’ deeper needs were taken into account.
The wings of Cecil B. Moore will be smaller than those in Johnson and Hardwick, thereby facilitating a sense of community among residents. As Knabe noted, “to alleviate stress among students.”
Moving in and out does seem analogous to the great Exodus from Egypt. This was the same reasoning behind building a five-story hall, as opposed to a sky scraper apartment complex. Utility was taken into account, with the understanding that University needs or desires may change in future years.
The building looks like an elongated, sideways “H”. The open end facing Cecil B. Moore will have a small area for congregation. Knabe said the social area will be smaller than the space currently in front of Johnson and Hardwick and the courtyard of New Residence. Because of windows, trees will be somewhere from few to none.
Trees blocking windows? How many trees would be cut down for obstructing ones view?
New II was designed by the same architect who dreamt up New Residence so stylistically the campus will fit together a bit nicer.
Many questions still remain. Where will the new residents park? Previously the site was the home of Cooney Apartments and a parking lot, which leads one to assume there will be even less parking available this time around.
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