Loyola announces new residence hall to open in 2025
Stock image of students walking outside of Loyola’s on campus residence halls.
December 15, 2022
Loyola University announced they will begin construction next year for a new residence hall that is set to open in 2025.
The new building will accommodate more apartment style living and will take over the space where Mercy Hall sits, according to an email sent out to students today by Carol Markowitz, the chief operating officer at Loyola.
Offices and classrooms are planned to be relocated from Mercy Hall after the spring 2023 semester, and construction is scheduled to begin in 2024 and be completed by fall of 2025.
Markowitz said that the construction will allow time for the current residential halls to be taken offline for “much-needed” renovations, including new windows in Founders Hall and replacing the plumbing in Buddig Hall.
The new building is in response to the lack of housing options available for students, both graduate and undergraduate. According to an email sent to faculty and staff of Loyola this morning, roughly half of undergraduate students live off campus and there is no dorm living for graduate students, leaving more than 2,000 students in search of off campus housing each year.
“Currently we do not have enough housing to meet the needs for our two-year housing requirement,” Markowitz wrote in the email.
The email also said that having students live on campus longer will yield benefits for retention.
“Students will be safer living on campus, will have fewer obstacles to attending classes, and they will have more opportunities to form friendships and build closer ties to the university,” the email said.
The email said that the new residence hall is predicted to have an immediate positive impact for Loyola. Not only will it offer new on campus housing, but it will also produce $7.5 million annually, according to the email.
Loyola is planning on using fundraisers, Loyola’s capital campaign, and bond financing- a type of long term loan- to pay for the construction of the new building and renovations for existing residence halls.
Katherine Morris • Mar 12, 2023 at 9:53 pm
I am part of the Mercy Academy class of 1987. Please tell us there may be a way to preserve this building. Many great memories!
Angelle Arata • Mar 12, 2023 at 9:35 am
Yes, Mercy Academy alumni would love the opportunity to tour the building prior to demolition. We’d also appreciate the effort to preserve and remove any historic architectural items, such as the beautiful Mercy Crest inlaid in the lobby floor.
Anne Marie Boudreaux • Mar 9, 2023 at 6:14 pm
As a Mercy Academy alumni (1971) I would love to walk inside one last time before it is demolished.
Anne Marie (Vandenweghe) Boudreaux
Kelly McDermott • Mar 9, 2023 at 2:34 pm
So many memories of my years at Mercy Academy. Hope they allow alumni (1984) one last chance to see the place we called home for 4 years.
dawn hickey-greatrex • Mar 8, 2023 at 9:22 pm
As a Mercy Academy alumni (1983) I would love to walk inside one last time before it is demolished.