BHSU holds groundbreaking for new state-of-the-art residence hall

Rendering of the commons area.

Rendering of south elevation.

Rendering of west elevation.

Black Hills State University will host a groundbreaking ceremony for Crow Peak Hall Friday, Feb. 14 at 11:15 a.m. on the green in front of Thomas Hall.

The University&rsquos new 50,000-square-foot residence hall will connect two existing halls with a central living area that will be the residential link for all three buildings. The connecting link is the living room of the complex which will include a two-story great room, residential kitchen for student use, fireplace, snack area, and multi-media study rooms.

"This new addition to campus will greatly enhance the living/learning environment at BHSU by connecting Thomas and Heidepriem halls and creating a residence life complex that will be the focal point for our on-campus students," says BHSU President Kay Schallenkamp. "The new complex will be a unique vibrant student community that celebrates the distinctiveness of the Black Hills and promotes academic success."

The residence hall will include three stories with 12, four-person suites on each floor. The suites include two rooms with a shared bathroom. In addition to the central living area, there will be two small commons areas on each of the four floors.

Planning for the new residence hall began when BHSU started developing renovation options for all the current residence halls. After reviewing options and costs, it was determined that it would be best to build a new hall that complements and enhances the current residence halls.

Funding for the $12 million residence hall will come from the room rentals of the students who live there.

The estimated completion date for Crow Peak Hall is summer 2015. When completed, it will be the first new residence hall to be built on the BHSU campus in nearly 50 years. While BHSU constructed campus apartments in 1993, the newest residence hall is Heidepriem which was built in 1964. The planned residence hall will replace Pangburn Hall, built in 1952, and Humbert Hall, built in 1958.