East campus looks a little different this semester, thanks to the newly constructed Azalea and Camellia Halls in what Residential Life calls the Greenhouse District. Marking the university’s largest residential hall openings in years, Azalea and Camellia house 850 beds for traditional and engineering residents respectively.
The community boasts a roughly 350-bed-increase over the recently closed Kirby Smith Hall, which is slated for demolition in May according to newly appointed Executive Director of Residential Life Peter Trentacoste.
The Greenhouse District also replaces Louise Garig Hall, which still includes offices for Residential Life faculty. The 84-year-old residence hall may eventually see interior upgrades, not unlike the rest of the Horseshoe Community.
According to Trentacoste, Garig Hall could potentially become emergency housing for students infected with COVID-19. As of Aug. 25, the university indicates 16 students are isolating or quarantining in LSU-affiliated spaces.
The locale is named after greenhouses that used to occupy the area, which have been primarily relocated off-campus. The College of Agriculture still utilizes the nearby Hill Farm Teaching Facility and its greenhouse. Those interested in the AgCenter’s current projects are encouraged to check out the university’s Botanic Gardens, located off-campus.
Upon first entering either hall, one may notice the spacious lobby which has yet to be fully furnished due to pandemic-related shortages. That being said, the residences were built with open floor plans in mind, creating ample space for study nooks and – consequently – social distancing.
Associate Director of Communications and Development for Residential Life Catherine David assures residents “we are focused on creating safe and welcoming environments where students can live, learn, and be well as part of the campus COVID-19 roadmap. In community spaces, this includes the already robust routine cleaning schedule, an additional focus on high-touch areas, occupancy limits, masking requirements, and hand sanitizer at entrances and elevators. We encourage students to be our partners in keeping the communities well. We all have a role to play.”
To accommodate seating, create social settings, and foster a cooperative study environment, hallways were built wider than in previous residence halls. The dorms themselves are divided into suites, each featuring a foyer, two vanities and separate toilet and shower rooms. Another uncommon feature among university residences is the ceiling fans installed in each dorm.
Bicycle commuters should feel secure thanks to the indoor bike storage system campus has utilized in residences since the construction of Cypress Hall. The digitally-locked room should help reduce bike theft, a visible issue on campus.
As for residents’ move-in process, the proximity of Herget, Miller, McVoy, and Laville to the Greenhouse District warranted new systems to direct traffic and avoid overcrowding or parking mishaps. Students were required to follow COVID-19 entry procedures throughout the two-and-a-half-day window, compared to last year’s five-day process.
“After the first priority of keeping everyone safe and well, we really tried to transform the arrival part (staging lot) of move-in into an LSU-centric, exciting place for students to start their journey of making campus home,” said David. “Based on what we saw and feedback we got, families enjoyed the experience and we’ll look to build upon that moving forward.”
In regards to any upcoming campus projects, David said “with a new executive director at our helm, we are taking time to evaluate how campus housing can best support student success at LSU. More details to come at a later time.”