as it did with Warde, Mercyhurst opted for durable steel and concrete construction and a traditional brick look that coordinates with other campus structures. This time they’re using a suite-style model. Each suite will accommodate four students in two bedrooms with two full baths, a common living room and a snack prep area. The needs of sophomores are slightly diferent, Zirkle pointed out. “By their second year, students have usually established a network of friends,” she said. While they still need support, they also need more freedom as they begin exploring majors and getting involved with clubs and organizations. A sense of community remains important, though, so the frst foor of Ryan Hall will feature a large common space, including a new dining facility. Students are helping to decide what options should be available in that facility, the frst on the east side of campus. Gathering most sophomores in a single building allows hall staf to target programming to that class. Upperclassmen live in apartments and townhouses on the outskirts of campus, which ofer greater privacy. “By the time they reach their junior year, most students are starting to look forward to life after college,” according to Zirkle. “The responsibility of living independently really helps them prepare for that transition.” Ryan Hall will cost an estimated $25 million, but the project is made possible by the unique economics of college housing. The building is being fnanced through bonds, and revenue generated from the students who live in the building will be used to retire the bonds.
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