Algoma U residence under construction

Construction is set to begin on a new, 96-bed residence at Algoma University, with completion slated for the start of the 2012 school year.

Michael Moore has been retained as the general contractor for the $8-million project, which gets underway Jan. 27 and is expected to be complete by Aug. 15.

The residence will bring the total number of beds at the university to 283. The school is building the new residence to keep pace with the number of international students and those attending from outside the region; both on-campus residences and the renovated Windsor Park facility are almost at capacity.

“We know that we have to be able to guarantee students housing if we want to attract them from out of town, so this new residence is essential to our continued growth,” Algoma U president Richard Myers said in a news release.

Students will get to stay in private rooms with a shared bathroom between every two rooms—a key feature the school said makes Algoma an attractive choice for new students.

The new residence will be located near the George Leach Centre, creating a new courtyard between the two buildings, which, Myers said, will also create a beautiful new pedestrian entrance.