The renovation project of Lehigh Hall—one of the 14 residential halls located on campus, reportedly built circa 1962—continues to undergo construction. According to Kent Dahlquist, the Director of Housing, Residence Life and Dining Services, constructors went offline for one year, but are now back on track.
The project, which began in summer 2012, is now expected to be complete by the end of May 2013, and will open up to 222 students the following fall semester.
Dahlquist states that everything in Lehigh Hall will be new except the exterior. The renovated residential hall will include new plumbing, heat, furniture and electrical systems. An elevator will also be installed, which is a feature entirely new to the dormitory.
Additional upgrades include new bathrooms, laundry facilities and entry lobby. An air conditioning system, however, will not be installed throughout the building.
Lehigh Hall is expected to be finished by the end of May of 2013, but will open up to 222 students the following fall semester.
Dahlquist went on to describe that KU’s residential halls have a life expectancy of 30 – 35 years, with Lehigh Hall at an age older than 35 years. When the residential hall was built, the shortage of electrical outlets did not cause a dilemma for technology advances. Today, however, buildings require a large number of outlets and with the new renovations coming, Lehigh Hall will incorporate more.
Schuylkill Hall, which is the only traditional hall that’s coed by door, is next in line for renovations. Schuylkill will go offline in 2013 and is expected to come back on for fall of 2014. Then, Berks Hall will go offline when Schuylkill is completed and is expected to open back up for fall semester of 2015.

By Amira Coleman