Lancaster Bible College Dormitory
Lancaster, PA
With enrollment increasing, over the past decade, the number of students at Lancaster Bible College has grown nearly two-fold, the need for more dorm space became urgent and a new dormitory for 110 students and 2 apartments for Resident Directors was envisioned.
The first and most significant challenge was the “350-day” time-frame from Board approval to the student’s arrival in the fall. The project was delivered by negotiated contract with the project team (Architect/General Contractor) in place from inception. With 9-10 months allotted for construction, complete construction documents, incorporating functional and economical solutions, were developed in the remaining 2-3 months.
The second challenge was designing the dormitory to compliment the adjacent building on a tight site. Determining the appropriate “massing,” both in shape and height, on the limited site area adjacent to Peterson Hall dormitory was critical.
On the second week of August 2015, students moved in to a new dormitory that blended into the existing campus surroundings in time for the fall semester!
Teaming with Pusey & Raffensperger Builders of Lititz, the project was off to a running start, simultaneously with the development of schematic plans and the commencement of a capital campaign. Long-term relationships with local township inspectors also played a significant part in meeting the construction deadline. Finally, key subcontractors stepped-up with more workers and extended hours in the final push to complete the project for the arriving students.
Blending into the campus, the three-floor structure (totaling 31,756 square feet) was dedicated with a celebratory ribbon-cutting on September 1, 2015. The new “East Hall” dormitory was a perfect fit for students at Lancaster Bible College and will promote community and student life beyond the classroom for years to follow!