Ground breaks on GSU's first residence hall

     Governors State University is entering a new era which will allow students to be admitted as freshman in 2014 and the university to house on-campus residents.

     Groundbreaking for Prairie Place, the university's first on-campus residences, took place April 5. The project will include three phases with the first phase expected to be completed by the summer of 2014.

     Phase one calls for 77 units with 296 beds to furnish the first building.  All rooms will be fully furnished with beds, desks chairs, and wardrobe-dresser units.

     The apartments will have complete kitchens, floor lounges, study rooms, vending machines, a separate classroom, a laundry room, and community kitchens. Governors State University will also supply cable and internet service to Prairie Place.

     President Elaine Maimon has dubbed this time period as "Renaissance 2014" to signal the rebirth of the university in a 21^st century style where the prairie meets the city.

     "Students will live where they learn, they will work with neighbors, and art will be immersed as a part of their day to day lives," Maimon said.

     To usher in the new era, three and four year olds from the neighboring Family Development Center were given hardhats and shovels to overturn the first dirt.

     With the addition of Prairie Place, the administration has completed the vision of Dr. Leo Goodman-Malamuth, the second president of GSU, who died in January and had dreamed of having dorms for students and becoming a full service university.

     Vivian Covington, Mayor of University Park, was also present for the ceremony and shared in the fruition of the dreams coming to life.

     "I am overwhelmed. This is a dream I've also shared in for a long while for the area," Covington said.

     Maimon also believes that with the addition of campus apartments, students will gain a sense of community and experience diversity while living together in residence.

     "Like many of you here today for our ground breaking ceremony, many of us lived in dorms and apartments which truly helped our transition to independence and forged a deeper connection with the school," said Maimon.

     The cost for the first part of constructing Prairie Place is estimated at $17 million which was funded through the sales of bonds.

     "If it wasn't for our great state and Governor Pat Quinn who appointed us an independent Board of Trustees then these apartments would never have been allowed to happen.  I think our trustees deserve a large round of applause and recognition," Maimon said.

     Prices have not yet been determined for the 2014-2015 academic school year and students must have at least six credit hours each semester to be eligible to live in the apartments. Students will need a minimum of three credit hours for residence over the summer semester.

     Also in attendance was the Governors State University Acapella Group which performed for guests, the Board of Trustees, Student Representative Erin Fletcher, and two presidents of partner universities in Turkey.