Lawrence Technological University will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its third residence hall on Monday, April 7, at 11 a.m.
The public is invited to the ceremony, which will take place near University Housing-North on the campus at 21000 West 10 Mile Road in Southfield. (For directions and map, see ltu.edu/contacts.)
The $11.6 million project is scheduled for completion in time for fall classes in 2015.
The 47,545-square-foot, two-story building, which will have a capacity of 160 students, will be adjacent to the university’s largest parking lot along the Northwestern Highway service drive.
Lawrence Tech currently has capacity for 600 students at its two residence halls.
University Housing Solutions and Adena Corporation, both of Mansfield, Ohio, are the developer-design-builder and construction manager for the project, respectively. JPRA Architects of Farmington Hills developed the plans and are the architects of record.
The new residence hall will have five pods with 16 double-occupancy units. Each pod in the new building will have its own common lounge with fireplace and kitchenette space complete with range, refrigerator, and microwave appliances. Amenities include cafe/retail space on the first floor, central laundry on both floors, a multi-purpose room, a game room, and two conference-type spaces.
“The building is designed to encourage students to be out of their rooms with plenty of space for interaction and collaboration. One of the goals is to get new students involved in campus life by fostering collegiality,” LTU President Virinder Moudgil said.
Lawrence Tech’s addition of varsity athletic programs and more student activities has created a greater demand for on-campus housing. During the current academic year, LTU is leasing residential suites for 80 students at Arbor Lofts located near campus on Civic Center Drive in Southfield.
“We anticipate 100 percent occupancy when we open our new residential hall in 2015,” said Dean of Students Kevin Finn. “We look forward to having more students living on campus.”
Lawrence Technological University, www.ltu.edu, is a private university founded in 1932 that offers more than 100 programs through the doctoral level in its Colleges of Architecture and Design, Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Management. PayScale lists Lawrence Tech among the nation’s top 7 percent of universities for return on undergraduate tuition investment, and highest in the Detroit metropolitan area. Lawrence Tech is also listed in the top tier of Midwestern universities by U.S. News and World Report and the Princeton Review. Students benefit from small class sizes and experienced faculty who provide a real-world, hands-on, “theory and practice” education with an emphasis on leadership. Activities on Lawrence Tech’s 102-acre campus include over 60 student clubs and organizations and a growing roster of NAIA varsity sports.