Lee University Opens Three New Residence Halls
August 13, 2010—Cleveland, TN—Students begin moving in at Lee University tomorrow where, among a dozen other projects, the Church of God school will open three new apartment-style residence halls.
With an enrollment that has set records each of the last 23 years, Lee University continues to have a growing need for on-campus housing. Earlier this year, Lee purchased several parcels to the east of the campus and contiguous with a student residential area called Brinsfield Row. Construction began almost immediately on two residence halls consisting of eight apartments to house four students each. In late spring ground was broken on a third hall at a former gravel parking area just across from the school’s soccer field. The third residence hall consists of 11 units and brings the total number of new bed spaces added to 108. In addition there are more beds from other properties Lee acquired in the last year.
Apartment-style on campus living has been the most popular housing trend on college campuses in recent years allowing students more choice in resident life on campus. Each apartment includes two bedrooms, 1 ½ baths, a full kitchen and dining area and living room. In May of this year a 43 year-old dormitory in mid-campus, which contained the traditional, and less popular “community bathroom” concept, was razed to create open space near the new $14 million science and math complex which was completed earlier this year.
In addition to finishing the three apartment buildings, Lee University has had a busy summer on other fronts, including renovations of existing buildings, replacing carpet, improving athletic facilities, pouring new sidewalks and a massive landscaping project around the new science and math building. Lee also hosted over 11,000 young people in a number of Christian camps and conferences.
“Lee University continues to set the pace for colleges and universities all across the country, secular and Christian,” stated Mark Williams, assistant general overseer for the Church of God who leads the denomination’s division of education. “What Lee has accomplished over the last 20 years is nothing short of phenomenal, from tripling the enrollment, the addition of cutting-edge academic programs and nationwide recognition for their service learning initiative. All this, added to the ability to construct new facilities non-stop, demonstrates the marvelous favor of God upon Lee University.”