Eureka College to Begin Largest Project in School History
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: October 26, 2010
EUREKA - Eureka College is moving forward with its largest project in school history.
During the next two years, four buildings will be remodeled and a new one will be built.
WMBD's Twin Cities Bureau Chief Jacob Long takes a closer look at the changes.
When President Ronald Reagan graduated from Eureka College in 1932, he was one of 200 students on campus.
Now, 780 students attend Eureka College and more than half live in the residence halls.
School officials say they're starting to run out of room.
"We're getting in a situation where we need to increase our capacity for students to live on campus," says President David Arnold.
An $11 million expansion and renovation project will help do just that.
Eureka Freshman Breanna Sorenson says, "I'm really excited and I think it will give campus some character."
Eureka Freshman Samantha Robey says, "More space will be great."
About $6 million will go toward the construction of a new residence hall.
It'll house 100 students in what's called community pods.
Essentially, they're double-occupancy rooms that share a bathroom.
"We wanted to avoid the experience we've all had at hotels where there's long hallways and endless doors," Arnold says.
The remaining $5 million will be spent on renovating four existing buildings on campus.
Some date back to the 1920's.
They'll be getting things like new roofs, paint jobs, air conditioning and geo-thermal technology.
Arnold says, "It's going to be much more efficient. So, therefore, that means lower costs for students."
In the short-term, though, students will see a slight hike in fees to help pay for all the work.
But they don't seem to mind.
They're just anxious to see the legacy of their campus change forever.
"Hopefully, I will get to live in the new dorm. That'll be awesome," Robey says.
Sorenson says, "It's going to be awesome to see the before than see the after."
Construction on the new dorm should begin my March 2011.
All the other work will be staggered to avoid disruption on campus.
Everything should be done by early 2013.
