This coming fall, 225 undergraduate women will move into the University’s 32nd residence hall: Johnson Family Hall. Located north of McCourtney Hall and east of Dunne Hall, the new women’s residence will be home to the Valkyries, a group of women who are living in Pangborn Hall this year.
Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the exterior of the 68,000 square-foot facility. The brick has been laid; the windows have been installed; and within a few weeks the last piece of slate roof tile will be in place. Inside, construction crews have run electric lines throughout the building and are mounting drywall, installing plumbing and preparing for the bathroom and kitchen fixtures to be built into place. During the next few months, they will install the carpet and lighting fixtures, paint the walls and finally move in the furniture.
Because community building is such a vital component of the Notre Dame undergraduate experience, half of the first floor is devoted to such spaces. The main lobby will include comfortable seating to promote small group conversation, while an adjacent, open kitchen will provide additional social space with flexible seating.
Named in honor of St. Teresa of Calcutta, the chapel will be a warm, inviting, sacred space. For times when students need space to study, work together on a project or host an event, the Reading Room, lounges and study spaces throughout the building will also provide options.
About 100 women who will be moving into the hall in August will be joined by incoming freshmen and a small number of women currently living elsewhere. The women have been spending time getting to know one another this year, and have built a good foundation.
“This year, we’ve been referring to our place as our “starter home” and next year we will be moving in to our ‘dream home,’” says Amanda Springstead, rector of Johnson Family Hall. “The women are excited and are asking about ways they can get involved in the community and are applying for leadership positions.” Springstead says she is thrilled to see the student’s enthusiasm building.
