Seton Hill is expanding here on the hill and in downtown Greensburg at a rapid rate. In the past year, the Setonian has included coverage on the announcements of the 131 Building, the JoAnne Woodyard Boyle Health Sciences Center, the Seton Hill Arts Center, and the 112 College Avenue Apartments.
Here are the answers to some of the most common questions students and faculty may have right now regarding the new buildings.
When will they be done?
All of these new spaces will be complete by Fall 2015! University staff will be moving furniture and supplies into the buildings this summer. Everything will be ready for the first day of classes.
*Update: the 112 College Ave. Apartments, as of 5/20/15, are expected to be completed by 9/1/15. According to Dr. Robin Anke, “The developers say that they will put them [students who are going to be housed in the apartments this fall] up in temporary housing from the start of classes until the day they can move in.” *
What about parking?
B and C lots will finally reopen, no more fighting to get that last spot in A lot. B and C are going to be repaved this summer after construction is complete.
Student parking downtown will be limited. However, the off-campus shuttle will be making more stops in downtown Greensburg and there is some student parking available at the 131 Building. There will be a handful of spots available at 112 College Avenue Apartments on site for a $50 per month fee; additional parking will be available across the street in the city parking lot. If you cannot find available student parking there, you could always try your luck with a meter or parking garage.
What is the 131 Building going to be used for?
The 131 will be the new home of… we’re not sure yet. The Harlan Gallery will be moving to the Seton Hill Arts Center and the university is currently working on a “Campus Master Plan” regarding the use of the 131 building as well as spaces newly available on the main campus. This plan is due to be completed in June.
How are we (Seton Hill) paying for all of this?
For all of the students totally convinced our tuition money is solely responsible for these changes, actually, here are some examples of how SHU acquires the funds necessary for these improvements:
“The funds for the new buildings [particularly the new science and art buildings] have been raised from a variety of sources, including generous donations from foundations, alumni, faculty and staff and other friends of Seton Hill as well as government grants. Among the donations to the JoAnne Woodyard Boyle Health Sciences Center, for example, was a $7 million grant from the R.K. Mellon Foundation, the largest gift in Seton Hill history. This gift provided the University’s Board of Trustees with the confidence to move ahead with both building projects simultaneously. Since 2007, The Campaign for Seton Hill raised more than $73 million to help the University build world-class facilities, invest in strong academic programs and provide scholarships for deserving students.” –David Myron, Vice President for Finance, CFO
Where are the new apartments? Right now it’s just a patch of dirt.
They’re on their way here from a warehouse in Clarion. The apartments are being shipped here, mostly pre-built in big pieces. After the foundation is done, it will take four days to put the structure together on site. While they were originally on track to be completed around mid July and opened on August 1, developers now expect the apartments to be complete in early September.
Information provided by David Myron, Vice President for Finance, CFO, and Dr. Robin Anke, Associate Dean of Student Services & Director of Residence Life.