Dickinson College Hosts Open House for New High Street Residence Hall

Photo of High Street Residence Hall during construction

Photo by Carl Socolow '77

New Residence Hall Seeks LEED Platinum Certification

Dickinson College welcomes the Carlisle community to get a sneak peek of the new High Street Residence Hall, at the corner of West High and Conway streets, on Friday, Aug. 10, from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

“The Carlisle community has been watching this construction project with great interest for more than a year,” said President Margee Ensign. “We’re happy to give the community a look inside this building that we are immensely proud of and that we know will serve our students well.”

The 40,000-square-foot residence hall is designed to enhance the residential experience for students and meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum for Homes standards from the U.S. Green Building Council. Dickinson has committed to constructing new buildings and major building renovations to a minimum standard of LEED Silver, but has exceeded that in all new construction projects. The new residence hall is in line to be the sixth campus facility to achieve LEED certification, and the first to aim for the platinum level.

The building will house 129 students in single- and double-occupancy rooms beginning in late August for the fall 2018 semester. Its many features include ample community space with a great room, living room, kitchen, outdoor patio, indoor bicycle storage room and common spaces for lounging and study. Single-user bathrooms will be available throughout the hall, providing both privacy and inclusive, gender-neutral spaces.

Lancaster County-based Benchmark Construction led the work on the building, which was designed by New York-based architectural firm Deborah Berke Partners. Energy-efficient exterior walls and roof, high-efficiency windows and a connection to Dickinson’s central energy plant are among the many features that help reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, an upgraded stormwater-management system, including four rain gardens, will minimize impacts to the existing community systems. The project’s landscaping includes 92 new trees and more than 16,000 other plants.

The opening of the hall is the final phase of a historic six-year campus enhancement effort that includes a new athletic training center, soccer field and interdisciplinary greenhouse, as well as an expansion of the Kline Fitness Center and Rector Science Complex.

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Published July 27, 2018