Global Scholars, meet your new neighbor.
Another 500 UO students will soon call east campus home now that a site for a new residence hall has been approved by interim UO President Scott Coltrane. The site, just south of the Global Scholars Hall, was the recommended choice of campus advisory groups and was part of a new Physical Framework Vision Project.
Completion of the new $45 million residence hall will give the university enough on-campus residential space for incoming freshmen to allow renovation of some existing, older residence halls to modern standards. The new, as-yet-unnamed, hall is expected to open in fall 2017.
The residence hall site is bounded by the Global Scholars Hall and East 17th Avenue on the north and south and Columbia and Moss streets on the west and east. The site is southeast of the Many Nations Longhouse.
The university worked closely with representatives of the tribal community and nationally known architect and UO alumnus Johnpaul Jones, who designed the Many Nations Longhouse, in ensuring the site is compatible with cultural traditions and tribal ceremonies. Jones will continue to be engaged as a consultant through the design phase of the project.
The project will require the removal of what is known as the old church warehouse building and four older houses, some of which have been used as rentals. A residence hall is a permitted use under relevant city and campus plans.
Also, some parking spaces will be displaced by the project, but a similar number will be added nearby.
The residence hall siting decision, along with two other recently approved building locations, followed a four-month campus review process that included consideration by a special 13-member advisory group to the UO Campus Physical Framework Vision Project, the UO Space Advisory Group and the Campus Planning Committee.
The other two sites are for a new science building, proposed for a site on the north side of Franklin Boulevard across from the Lewis Integrative Science Building, and for Jane Sanders Stadium, a new home for the Duck women’s softball team mostly on the site of the existing Howe Field. The science building is still in the conceptual phase and currently unfunded, while fundraising for the 1,500-seat stadium is continuing after a $10 million lead gift.
By moving the softball field slightly south and east, the site leaves enough room for a future academic building of up to 80,000 square feet between the softball field and University Street.
Multiple sites for each project — almost a dozen just for the stadium project — were considered initially, then were subject to campuswide outreach efforts, expert opinions and more in-depth area studies by consultants leading the Framework Vision Project.
The residence hall is in the design phase, with selection of an architect and contractor in progress.
—By Greg Bolt, Public Affairs Communications