Have you seen it? A brand new residence hall is being constructed directly south of the existing Hillenbrand Hall. This eight-story, 252,525 square foot facility will bring an additional 896 beds to campus.
Follow the progress of this new residence hall with Reese Brown, who is serving as a construction ambassador for the project. Reese will provide news, facts and photos throughout the year as the project continues. We invite you to check back often for updates.
Meet Reese Brown
Hello, I’m Reese, a freshman studying construction management. I’ve always been fascinated in watching things be built and how the pieces come together to create places that people live and work in. I grew up in West Lafayette and have had the opportunity to watch the various campus projects over the years. I’m very excited to be the construction ambassador. I get to be involved in the process and see all the aspects up close.
Week of October 7, 2025
It's official! The building's new name is South Hall. As of right now, the hall is 50% complete. Drywalling has started on the second floor, with the third and fourth floors completed. The outside is also hitting a big milestone with the brick getting put up.
Dining Hall Connection: Hillenbrand Hall and South Hall will be connected by an expansion of the the Hillenbrand Dining Court and an adjoining hallway. The framework for this is currently being installed.
Student Rooms: In response to recent demands there are single and double occupancy rooms in addition to triples and quads. These rooms provide ample living and bed space for each occupant.
Next Steps: One of the largest challenges the team has dealt with is getting the roof completed. The weather has been a huge factor in the timeline of this process. Mother Nature permitting, the roof will be completed in the next couple of weeks. Another significant milestone for the building will be the removal of the last tower crane, which is also set to happen in the next couple of weeks. Both of these are monumental achievements for the completion of South Hall. As these start to wrap up, finishes inside the hall will start to take more of a focus.
Week of January 27, 2025
Although the construction site and workers are battling harsh weather conditions, they are still on track for completion. They’ve finished up with the third floor and are working towards getting the fourth floor poured with concrete and continuing upward. The goal is to complete a level every three weeks. There will be eight levels in total.
Fun Fact: The construction workers use a robot to trace lines and mark where everything will be placed.
Weather: The construction site stops working and operating when temperatures are 10 degrees or below.
Important Dates: