Residence Hall Construction Continues, with Spring Hall in Final Stages

Construction is well underway and ahead of schedule for SLU's two new residence halls, temporarily dubbed "Spring Hall" (opening this fall, 2016), and "Grand Hall" (opening in fall 2017). Both are estimated to be 22-month-long projects, with Spring Hall entering its final stages.

Work on Spring Hall began in December of 2014. Now, 18 months later, the building is in great shape, according to assistant director of construction services Dustin Montgomery.

SLU celebrated its "topping out," in late March, which marked its roofing with the University's signature green pyramids. Montgomery estimates that the painting and windows are about 80 percent complete, and the exterior/brick is roughly 95 percent complete. What remains is carpeting, floor tile installment and what he calls the "finished work": landscaping, such as pathways, trees, flowers and sod, and moving in furniture and appliances like washers and dryers.

Grand Hall, which broke ground in November of 2015, is still in its early stages.

"We're just in the infancy stage of seeing the building erect from floor to floor to floor," Montgomery said. "We've got one and a half of the seven stories that have to be constructed. But what's important to note is that all the utility work and all the groundwork is complete, which is your sewer and electrical and all that. So now you're just going to start seeing it go all the way up."

We're just in the infancy stage of seeing the building erect from floor to floor to floor," Montgomery said. "We've got one and a half of the seven stories that have to be constructed. But what's important to note is that all the utility work and all the groundwork is complete, which is your sewer and electrical and all that. So now you're just going to start seeing it go all the way up.

The recent rain has affected Grand construction more than Spring, but the weather generally has treated the crew well. A moderate winter and average precipitation have allowed for a speedy process, along with productive teamwork and partnerships.

"The weather has played really nice with us," Montgomery said, "but I would also tell you that McCarthy has been a great partner to work with, Hastings & Chivetta has been a great partner. ... I think the team has just made a conscious effort - Facilities, Housing and Residence Life and all the partners - to make the decisions we need to and to keep it on time and under budget."

Montgomery estimates the exterior of Spring will be finished in a month, and the outdoor courtyard should be completed in about six weeks.

Another achievement: though more than 100 people are on site working every day, there has not been a single safety incident to report for either building to date.

One significant feature of both buildings is that they are being constructed with sustainability as a priority. Flooring, carpeting and concrete are all made partially from recycled and regional materials, and all major lighting areas in the buildings will use LED lights.The halls are being built to follow LEED silver standards, and all paints, sealants, adhesives and flooring systems are low VOC (volatile organic compounds) products, which produce a healthier, less chemical-filled environment. In addition, the construction crew will be recycling scraps from the flooring; this means that anything not used won't end up in a landfill, but instead will be sent back to the manufacturer to be recycled.

To Montgomery, the sustainability component of construction is an important one, and he is proud of this newer initiative.

"It's a pretty big deal, especially from a lifecycle standpoint," Montgomery said. "We're not trying to build this for five years down the road, we're trying to build it for 50 years."

Though a date hasn't been set yet, a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Spring Hall is planned for early August, and tours may be available as early as late July. For more information, visit https://www.slu.edu/new-residence-hall.