Nanticoke Hall was constructed in 1968, is located on the west side of the Quad, and organized into two wings that form an L-shape. The building has four floor levels, a lower and 3 upper levels.  It is has exterior brick walls, concrete floors and interior columns, and a sloped slate roof.  The building, co-educational on a suite by suite basis, will provide accommodation for 150 freshman students.  The main entrance level is between the lower two floors; and a new entrance stair and elevator makes all levels equally accessible.

An important renovation goal was to organize the entrance space and lounge areas to encourage greater use of the lower level, and to encourage better social interaction among the residents.   Thus, glass railings and open lounge areas to better link the lower two floors, are important building features.  The building fully supports SU’s belief in the educational and social effectiveness of living/learning communities of shared academic interests; that have been shown to increase learning and graduation rates and last beyond the freshman year.  Each of the two classrooms can accommodate at least 27 students, so that each resident can have at least one class per week in the building; and are available for off-hours, individual and group study.   Both the classrooms and the lounge area, have large plasma screens that support both educational and recreational uses. The lounge area has a media equipment cabinet, built-in surround sound speakers, and a convertible pool table that converts to a ping-pong table.  The lower level has a community kitchen and male and female guest toilets.  The typical suite arrangement is two, two person rooms sharing a central bathroom with private toilet and private shower.  Each student has one internet connection and each bedroom has a cable TV outlet.  Should a room resident request, the Residence Life Office will have their bed assembled in a loft arrangement.

The laundry room has internet connected dryers, and washers with automatic integral detergent dispensers. Students can determine from their rooms, which machines are in use, and be notified by e-mail when their laundry has been completed.  There is no additional charge for use of the laundry facilities and detergent supplies.  The vending room has internet connected machines that take either cash or SU Gull Cards.

Cameras will be added both inside and outside of the building, as part of an enhanced campus security feature that will eventually allow Campus Security to visually monitor the entire open Quad area that unites the four traditional residence halls.

The building will have new HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, will be SU’s first solar power domestic water heated building, and will be SU’s third geothermal heated and cooled building.  To ensure a healthy living environment, fresh air will be delivered to the building via energy recovery units which both save energy and remove humidity from supplied outside air.  An environmentally friendly carpet-like sheet flooring made from recycled material, is used in the private bedrooms, corridors and public areas.  It is anticipated that the building will achieve, at a minimum, LEED silver certification.

The architect for the renovation is Marshall Craft of Baltimore, MD and the mechanical/electrical engineer is Mueller Associates of Baltimore, MD.  The general contractor has yet to be selected.

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