Aaron Crabtree, Associate Dean of Students; Dr. Jim Swanson, Vice President for Academic and Student Services; Dr. Ron Manahan, President; Dr. John Boal, Vice President of Advancement break ground on a new dormitory at Grace College. (Photo provided)

WINONA LAKE, IND. – Grace College will be adding a long-anticipated dormitory to the school grounds. A celebratory groundbreaking this May marked the beginning of a project that will be completed as soon as fall semester 2013. The 13,000-square-foot residence will be able to house 62 students. Similar to the layout of Indiana Hall, the dormitory will house boys in one wing and girls on the other. There will be a common lobby in between the two wings where students can cook, study or just relax.

The decision to build came as a response to the annual increase in freshman enrollment. Grace is grateful for the continued growth of its student body and desires to serve them by offering accessible and consistent comfortable living options. The new dormitory, approved by Grace’s Board of Trustees last year, is gesture that represents not only the school’s growth, but its continual prioritization of students’ well-being. The Board also made a priority of keeping costs conservative and have dedicated to a price that will be under $3 million.

Now the work of building will be full steam ahead with architect firm Design Collaborative and contractor Wiegand Construction — chosen because of their prior work on the design and building of the Orthopaedic Capital Center.

“This will be good for freshmen,” says Aaron Crabtree, Associate Dean of Students. “We’re building with community in mind. We want to create [a place] where interaction can happen naturally.”

The new building has yet to be named.