New 193,424-square foot residential hall planned for Norfolk State University

Construction is expected to begin in a week on a new 193,424-square-foot residential facility at Norfolk State University.

Commonwealth Architects, S.B. Ballard Construction Co. and Niles Bolton Associates have teamed up to design and construct the project.

 S.B. Ballard will be the design-build contractor, while the design team will consist of Commonwealth Architects and Niles Bolton Associates.

Other design team members include Thompson Consulting Engineers (M/E/P engineers), Speight Marshall Francis (structural engineers), and VHB (civil engineers).

The four-story facility will offer a North and South Hall with a central two-story amenity space, and will include 740 beds for first-year students.

The amenity space, which connects the two residential wings, will house offices, conference room, fitness room, movement/yoga studio, multipurpose room, group study space, community kitchen, theater and an open gaming space.

The exterior façade will combine the university’s standard red brick with fiber cement panels along with glass curtainwall and precast concrete accents. Several areas of green space are planned as well as pedestrian walkways.

“We really wanted to create a facility that promotes community for NSU’s students. While maintaining the campus master plan, we envisioned a residence hall fit for nurturing educational goals while providing space for establishing relationships that will last a lifetime,” Anton V. Kashiri, associate vice president for facilities management at Norfolk State, said in a statement.

The facility will provide the necessary space to house NSU’s incoming students as the school continues to increase enrollment. Construction is expected to be complete by December 2019.