New UNL dorm opening this fall

Posted By: Camila Orti
corti@klkntv.com

It's not quite like the dorms your parents lived in.

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is unveiling a new suite-style dorm for students this fall, and it is expected to be a crowd pleaser.

“The new building looks really great, they did some amazing stuff,” UNL junior Derek Davidson said.

University Suites is located at 18th and R streets. It will be move-in ready for students on August 22nd.

“We're very happy with the building's design, we think it's got a modern appearance and yet it fits in,” UNL Housing Director Sue Gildersleeve said. “It's very open in terms of its feeling, there's glass links that will connect Robert E. Knoll Center with University Suites.”

Construction of the $71 million complex began last year. The second building of the complex, which still doesn't have a name, is expected to be done spring of 2014.

The complex will be the second suite-style dorm on campus. Gildersleeve says apartment and suite-style housing has always been in high demand.

“The thing we hear over and over from students is they love the privacy,” Gildersleeve said.

Up to four students can live in each suite, which has either two or four bedrooms, a bathroom, living room and mini-kitchen.

These rooms are so popular that students that want to live in them have to put their names in a lottery; only about 1,000 will get into the new complex.

University Suites and the other building, still under construction, will eventually replace the 50-year-old Cather/Pound dorms, which Gildersleeve said are not even worth renovating.

“We made the decision it was going to be a better value for students and for the campus to go with more suite-style housing,” Gildersleeve said.