2008 Woodie Awards
Building No. 475 to become Dormitory
Yoni Kaplan
Issue date: 9/4/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Yeshiva announced plans to turn a residential building on campus into a dormitory. The Building 475 located on West 186 Street was recently acquired by the University as part of a twelve building acquisition and is scheduled to be converted into a dormitory within the next few years.
The building has for many years been populated by rabbinic faculty and students. Yeshiva officials hope to assist members of the Yeshiva community with renovations ro the building.
The new facility will not be made into a conventional dormitory. Rather, it will resemble suite or apartment-like living spaces, according to Vice President for Administrative Services Jeffrey Rosengarten.
University officials explained that the addition of the new dormitory is not meant to simply be used to house a growing student body "Our vision is not only to have dorm beds but to feel like a dorm with a sense of community," said Mr. Rosengarten. Mr. Rosengarten further explained that by integrating students with faculty, he hopes to foster a greater sense of community on campus.
The building will include essential parts of a dormitory that a students needs to function. "Lounge space, resident's assistants space and everything that a dorm should have is included in the design," Mr. Rosengarten told The Commentator.
The future facility will not only house students. The plan is to keep current rabbinic faculty members whose families currently reside there in the building to provide a greater atmosphere to the dormitory. "To have roshei yeshiva living there, gives it a sort of glow," explained Mr. Rosengarten. "This is what makes a YU dorm different from an NYU or Columbia dormitory."
Mr. Rosengarten added that this aspect allows students looking for a yeshiva-style atmosphere a place to feel comfortable and to have their rabbis close by.
While there is still a small number of non-Yeshiva residents living in the building, as they move those units will be converted to dormitory units.
The newest addition to the fleet of Yeshiva residence halls will also change the general perspective of Yeshiva housing. Mr. Rosengarten explained that the new dorm will breach the barrier between dorm and the Independent Housing Program. As reported in previous articles in The Commentator, Yeshiva officials have said that the University's administration would like to eventually phase out IHP and offer dormitory suites instead.
Last year, 928 Wilf Campus students lived in the three primary dormitories on campus while 174 students lived in IHP. In addition, 359 student lived off campus. Yeshiva officials believe that the final numbers tallied for the current academic year will show similar figures.
The building has for many years been populated by rabbinic faculty and students. Yeshiva officials hope to assist members of the Yeshiva community with renovations ro the building.
The new facility will not be made into a conventional dormitory. Rather, it will resemble suite or apartment-like living spaces, according to Vice President for Administrative Services Jeffrey Rosengarten.
University officials explained that the addition of the new dormitory is not meant to simply be used to house a growing student body "Our vision is not only to have dorm beds but to feel like a dorm with a sense of community," said Mr. Rosengarten. Mr. Rosengarten further explained that by integrating students with faculty, he hopes to foster a greater sense of community on campus.
The building will include essential parts of a dormitory that a students needs to function. "Lounge space, resident's assistants space and everything that a dorm should have is included in the design," Mr. Rosengarten told The Commentator.
The future facility will not only house students. The plan is to keep current rabbinic faculty members whose families currently reside there in the building to provide a greater atmosphere to the dormitory. "To have roshei yeshiva living there, gives it a sort of glow," explained Mr. Rosengarten. "This is what makes a YU dorm different from an NYU or Columbia dormitory."
Mr. Rosengarten added that this aspect allows students looking for a yeshiva-style atmosphere a place to feel comfortable and to have their rabbis close by.
While there is still a small number of non-Yeshiva residents living in the building, as they move those units will be converted to dormitory units.
The newest addition to the fleet of Yeshiva residence halls will also change the general perspective of Yeshiva housing. Mr. Rosengarten explained that the new dorm will breach the barrier between dorm and the Independent Housing Program. As reported in previous articles in The Commentator, Yeshiva officials have said that the University's administration would like to eventually phase out IHP and offer dormitory suites instead.
Last year, 928 Wilf Campus students lived in the three primary dormitories on campus while 174 students lived in IHP. In addition, 359 student lived off campus. Yeshiva officials believe that the final numbers tallied for the current academic year will show similar figures.