Harris-Stowe To Dedicate Its Second Residence Hall and New Campus Dining Facility

Aug. 5, 2011 - PRLog -- ST. LOUIS, MO (August 3, 2011) – A dedication and naming ceremony, to mark the  opening of a second residence hall and new student dining facility on the campus of Harris-Stowe State University, will take place on Friday, August 12, 2011, at 10 a.m. The recently completed 65,000 square foot, four-story structure is designed to enhance the college living experience by offering state-of-the-art living amenities for all HSSU students, in particular freshmen. The facilities will be named in honor of Attorney Freeman R. Bosley, Jr., the first African-American mayor of the City of St. Louis and long-time advocate of Harris-Stowe State University.

“This opening truly represents the final phase in the transformation of our University,” said Dr. Henry Givens, Jr., president of Harris-Stowe University. “Our new residence hall and dining facility will allow students to have a well-rounded college experience by participating in leadership activities, developing life-long friendships, and focusing on their long-term goal of earning a college degree, without ever leaving our campus. We could not have achieved this mission and vision without the unwavering support of Attorney Freeman R. Bosley, Jr. I am privileged to be dedicating this facility in his name.”

During his tenure as the mayor of the City of St. Louis, Bosley played a critical role in the university’s acquisition of 18 acres of prime land adjacent to its campus, valued at $12 million, for only $10.

“Harris-Stowe’s tremendous campus expansion during the past 15 years simply would not have been possible, if not for this historic land acquisition approved by Mayor Bosley,” Givens said. “Five buildings have been subsequently constructed on the land, allowing the university’s vision to become a reality, as well as helping to stimulate the revitalization of mid-town St. Louis.”

Harris-Stowe has been dedicated to serving the educational needs of the St. Louis community for more than 150 years. The university became a residential campus in 2006, when it opened its first residence hall named in honor of Rev. Dr. William G. Gillespie. Since that time, there has consistently been a waiting list of students seeking to live on campus.

Ground was broken for the new residence hall in July 2010. The year-long, $15 million construction project was managed by KWAME Building Group. Architectural services were provided by Grice Group Architects and Trivers Associates Architects. K&S Construction is the general contractor.

The new residence hall contains 196 beds and one director’s suite. Each furnished suite includes a common living area, kitchenette, dining area, and two bathrooms. Bedrooms are furnished with a bed, dresser, desk and upholstered chair. Kitchenettes are equipped with a microwave oven, refrigerator and garbage disposal. All students need to bring to campus are their personal touches Additional amenities in the new residence hall include a workout facility, student lounges, laundry room, community kitchen and study nooks. The hall’s common spaces have been uniquely designed to encourage the formation of study groups and shared learning experiences among residential students.

A new dining facility, serving both residence halls, will also be introduced at the dedication ceremony. Boasting an open floor plan and accented by floor-to-ceiling windows, the modern dining space is filled with natural light. Students will benefit on a daily basis from a number of culinary amenities that have been incorporated into the facility such as a brick pizza oven, pasta and stir fry station, chef’s grill, dessert bar, salad bar and two beverage stations. The facility seats 300 people and also includes an outdoor patio.

Eighteen meals will be served in the facility per week, including breakfast, lunch and dinner, Monday through Friday. Lunch and dinner will be served on Saturday. Students will be served brunch on Sunday. In addition to the dining hall, the building contains a meeting room and lobby, both equipped with audiovisual equipment. The lobby also includes a number of computer stations for student use.

The dedication and naming ceremony will be held in the Emerson Performance Center’s Bank of America Theatre, with a ribbon cutting taking place immediately after directly in front of the new residence hall. A reception will in the new dining hall will follow.  

About Harris-Stowe State University
Harris-Stowe State University, located in midtown St. Louis, is a four-year institution that offers 14 degree programs in the areas of Accounting, Business Administration, Biology, Criminal Justice, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Health Care Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Information Sciences and Computer Technology, Mathematics, Middle School Education, Professional Interdisciplinary Studies, Secondary Education and Urban Education. Ranked by U.S. News as one of America’s Best Colleges in the Midwest, the University, which has been in existence for more than 150 years, offers the most affordable bachelor’s degree in the metropolitan area.

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