For the second straight year, students returning to Wayne State University this fall will see a notable change in the campus landscape. A new, six-story student living facility on Anthony Wayne Drive, just north of Warren Ave, will be ready for occupancy in time for the new school year, beginning Sept. 2.

South Residence Hall, adjacent to a similar residential facility opened a year ago, will be the on-campus home for 467 students, mostly freshmen. New students will begin moving into the $22 million housing unit - located in the heart of campus near WSU's Student Center Building, Undergraduate Library, and Recreation and Fitness Center - on August 28. An official opening ceremony will be held Sept. 25.

Wayne State's two new residence halls fill a longstanding need, expressed by prospective students and their parents, for more on-campus housing, according to President Irvin D. Reid. "Availability of on-campus housing can be a significant factor in the choice of a university by first-time students who live outside normal commuting range," he points out. "A round-the-clock population also contributes to the vitality of the campus while providing a more traditional university experience for students. From everything we have seen so far, students relish having a stronger residential campus. They are enrolling in much larger numbers this year than they did last year."

The new housing unit, which is connected to the neighboring North Residence Hall by a corridor, features such amenities as high-speed Internet connections, cable television, telephone connections and private baths in each room; two lounges and a study room on each floor; a glass-walled, two-story high community room on the ground floor; laundry facility; pass-card security system and 24-hour staffing at the front desk. Most rooms are double-occupancy and several are equipped for persons with physical disabilities.

One or more retail shops planned for the main floor will be open to the public. Also housed on the main level, and scheduled to open later this year, will be a health clinic for the convenience of students who live on campus. An attractively landscaped courtyard between the two arms of the U-shaped building provides an outdoor setting for relaxation and recreation.

The location of South Hall near the student center, undergraduate library and the fitness center provides convenient access to these popular campus facilities. Residents also will be just seconds away from the Warrior Dining Room and the Warrior Grill in North Hall. Availability of the dining hall, with its central kitchen, enabled the university to offer a traditional room-and-board plan to students last year for the first time in decades. Students living in South Hall will share the dining facilities and grill. Both facilities, which are operated under contract by AVI FOODSYSTEMS, are open to the campus community.

Room assignments will be based on each student's general area of academic interest, as specified during the housing application process. Dubbed "living-learning communities" and arranged into 10 groupings, these areas of interest range from "The 4th Act" (students interested in the fine, performing and communication arts) to "The Green Space" (students interested in the biological sciences, conservation, outdoor activities and related topics).

"It's a concept we tried on a limited basis in North Hall last year," explains Edward Bell, director of housing and residential life. "It proved quite popular; students found that it enhanced their university experience by increasing opportunities for interaction with others who have similar interests."

Various social and recreational activities are planned throughout the year to enhance the community living experience. For example, residents of North Hall last year enjoyed a Hawaiian Luau, ping-pong tournament, Jeopardy quiz contest, midnight breakfast and a school spirit room-decorating contest.

South Residence Hall is the most recent new structure completed as part of a campus master plan developed under Reid's leadership. Last year, Wayne State opened North Residence Hall, a new Welcome Center, a Pharmacy and Health Sciences Building, and a University Bookstore operated by Barnes and Noble. The Recreation and Fitness Center was completed in 2000 and opened its doors that fall.

During the summer months, the university will make both of the new residence halls available for overnight or longer stays by members of groups meeting on campus or nearby. A Summer Housing and Conference Services Program operated by the Housing and Residential Life Office is particularly useful for event planners seeking assistance with food service arrangements and venue selection on campus.