Officials at Eastern Washington University are planning a $50.2 million project to build a new residence hall, seeking to provide modern on-campus housing options for students.
The project includes demolishing Dryden Hall, a 61-year-old vacant dorm, and replacing it with an up to 400-bed residence hall with suite-style rooms and enhanced privacy features.
The demolition of the old dorm is set to begin this summer. Construction is tentatively planned to kick off in early 2027 and prepare for students to move in by the 2028-2029 school year.
The new hall would be added to the university’s six university-owned residential properties, four traditional residence halls and two apartment complexes.
The new dormitory will be built next to two existing residential halls to create a neighborhood-style environment. The design aims to encourage community engagement across multiple buildings, university officials said.
The university plans to eventually phase out another outdated residential hall currently housing students, but university officials said they are focusing on completing the new dormitory first.
University officials developed the plan using feedback from students, who communicated that they were interested in living on campus but needed up-to-date housing for that to be a realistic option.
Photo by Craig Adderley from Pexels
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