“This is inspired by collegiate gothic architecture, particularly your brand of it. These should look like two old friends that have been reunited with the building already on campus,” John Burse of the Mackey Mitchell Architects said.
Burse focussed on the exterior of the new dorms he referred to as the North and South Halls. In addition, he discussed the landscaping surrounding the dorms.
The new dorms will be located on 15th and Lewis Street where the Wyoming Hall used to be located. The dorms and landscaping will be taking over the surrounding parking area and the UW Campus Police building.
“The current Washakie complex has 400 beds per acre,” Matt Newman, the campus architect, said.
He said this is a reason why green space is emphasized with the new dorms.
Another architect firm designed the new parking garage and Campus Police Building. Sallie Means of the Anderson Mason Dale Architect firm said the new parking garage will be located at Ivinson and 11th Street.
The parking garage will have two access points on 10th and 11th Street as well as a covered bus stop.
“I am concerned about the cost considering that the university is facing massive budget cuts and plans on cutting many programs in the very near future.
“It seems like instead of building new dorms we could consider supporting our existing programs and structures,” Hunter Swilling, a dual major in molecular biology and physiology, minors in chem and honors as well as the ASUW [Associated Students of the University of Wyoming] chief of legislative affairs, said.
Swilling said ASUW has been active with the proposals and updates since early 2020.
“I am excited about the proposal and I do believe that the university needs new housing options for students. It would also be ideal if there was slightly more space and recreational options on each floor, as opposed to just a common sitting quarters like the fish bowls are now,” Swilling said.
Swilling also said he thought the layout should include more bathrooms. For example one bathroom would be shared between two dorms.
“One thing I would like to have is my own bathroom,” CeeJay Berg, a dual major in accounting and economics, said.
Berg is also the director of finance and student organizations at ASUW.
Berg was originally meant to live in the Honors House this year, but it was converted to be quarantine housing.
“[The Honors House] was really nice. The quality of roommates significantly improves and having a kitchen is definitely a huge plus and not having to rely on a microwave for food,” Berg said.
After that Berg lived in Crane Hall before it was also converted into quarantine housing. Berg currently lives in Orr Hall.
“I’ve never seen anyone do anything in the bathtubs or going around them. I’ve only heard people use them for the dollar store grow a snake,” Berg said. “There should be more showers in place of bathtubs.”
Berg said she thought living in the dorms has been a good experience. In previous years she was able to make friends because of the dorms.
“Overall it was pretty cool because everyone was living together, but it was dirty, the air conditioning was terrible. It was hot all the time, there was no happy medium. It was scorching hot or you opened your window and died of hypothermia,” Destin Gabbidon, a philosophy major, said.
Swilling also said no air conditioning made living in the dorms difficult.
“The dorms are also very small, and living with a roommate is rather cramped. It is a very good experience in terms of introduction to college and the social aspects that it provides,” Swilling said.
Swilling said on average the dorm costs $602.75 a month for the students who leave during the breaks.
“This doesn’t even count the cost of a meal plan, which is another $2,452 per semester at the absolute cheapest. Students are also required to live in the dorms their first year, so it feels like the university milks as much money as they possibly can from students who have no other option.
“This sentiment is extremely common, bordering on universal, among students. There is a pervasive belief that the dorms are a ripoff financially. I have to say that sentiment is correct,” Swilling said.
Apartments are an option for students after the dorms.
“I live in Bison Run, and those are much better. They are more affordable, they have much more living space, and you can live in them year-round. They still don’t have air conditioning, which is not ideal, but the apartments are nice and well maintained,” Swilling said.
Gabbidon said his friends living in UW apartments have found that maintenance is a slow process.
“It hasn’t been the greatest either [with independent apartments]. Overall I miss the dorms because everything was covered in tuition and you could reach out to RA’s, but even with UW housing if you reached out it may not be solved,” Gabbidon said.
