Dorm Living Goes Luxury

By Alex Stoller Sep 16, 2014

Prince Frederick Hall, the 38th residence hall on campus, opened this semester to 462 lucky undergraduates. Oh yes, they are. Over eight floors, students—including participants in the Honors College’s Design: Cultures and Creativity and Advanced Cybersecurity Experience for Students—are enjoying hotel-like accommodations including showers with built-in changing rooms, in-room temperature control and fluffy hallway carpets. Adjacent to Van Munching Hall, it is the first dorm on campus to offer gender-neutral bathrooms on every floor and was designed to earn LEED Gold certification for its sustainable and energy-efficient amenities. Take a look around.

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The lobby is crisp and inviting, with a 24-hour service desk and flat-screen TVs displaying campus news, upcoming events and online student-run publications. Floor-to-ceiling windows provide lots of natural light and a wide view of the Prince Frederick lawn. Photo by Josh Loock ’16

With tall stall doors, faux granite countertops, showers with attached changing stalls and stainless fixtures, students are cleaning up in style. “Every single water feature—the sinks or the showers or anything—they all are aerated so they use less water,” Kelcey Raymond ’16 says. “It’s just conserving.” Photo by Josh Loock ’16

Eco-minded students can keep their bikes in a designated first-floor storage room. Additional outside bike storage is also available. Credit: Josh Loock ’16

Students can live in traditional singles or doubles or suites, which have two spacious doubles, one restroom with a vanity and a shower and another restroom with a vanity and a toilet. Photo by Josh Loock ’16

Grand windows in each room allow for lots of natural light. Resident assistant singles come complete with their own bathroom. “Having my own bathroom, my own shower is just wonderful because it’s pretty much like I’m living in my own apartment,” says Peter Garber ’16. “The only thing I don’t have is the kitchen, but I don’t cook so it’s perfect.” Photo by Josh Loock ’16

The carpeted hallways—the only ones in a residence hall—add a homey feel and reduce echoing and noise levels. Additionally, all floors have a trash and recycling room so there are no cans in the hallways. Photo by Josh Loock ’16

No more dreary basement clothes-washing: Each floor in Prince Frederick has three new washers and dryers in its own air conditioned laundry room complete with a window for even more natural light. “I’m pretty lazy, so going right down the hallway to do laundry is pretty amazing,” says Alex Shaw ’17. “Even one of my friends comes over here to do laundry from a different building.” Photo by Josh Loock ’16

All floors feature both a study lounge and a social lounge. Noise-proof study lounges have whiteboards and large tables that groups can gather around. Social lounges have high-top tables and a basic kitchen. “You can have a lot of great events there... like a movie night,” Garber says. “Or if we have a speaker coming in there’s a lot of seating, so it’s perfect.” Photo by Josh Loock ’16