Sometimes it can seem like there’s construction everywhere you turn at Northwestern, but then a beautiful new building appears on campus and you forget all about how difficult it was to navigate the orange cones and green fences around every corner thanks to the amazing new facilities for you to enjoy. Next year, students living on campus have two new (or renovated) residence halls to look forward to – 560 Lincoln and Willard.
The current exterior of 560 Lincoln
560 Lincoln
560 Lincoln is a completely new residence hall on the very northernmost end of campus, with 422 beds arranged in suite-style housing – one of the few halls on campus that offer this room style. Just steps away from Lisa’s Café, Henry Crown Sports Pavilion, Patten Gymnasium, and Tech, 560 Lincoln boasts a beautiful view of the Lake Michigan as well as a great location. Besides the gorgeous view, the res hall will have an open layout on the ground floor, complete with student lounges, study and meeting spaces, classrooms, a green space, and more.
The current interior of Willard Hall
Willard Hall
As for Willard, the beloved South Campus residential hall will be reopening in January 2018 after being closed for a little over a year to undergo renovations. Residents will be housed in 1835 Hinman during the fall and relocated to Willard by Residential Services over winter break. Similar to Shepard Hall and 1838 Chicago, Willard will now include an Engagement Center, complete with a mini fitness room, classrooms, and a number of community and collaboration spaces, as well as its own mail center. And don’t worry – Fran’s Café will be returned to its rightful place with “a wider menu of food and refreshments,” said Brad Zakarin, Director of Residential Academic Initiatives. Plus, all Willard rooms now have air conditioning for when the temperature rises for those few days at the very end of the school year!
According to Zakarin, the classrooms and study lounges in the new and renovated residence halls are part of an attempt to “integrate academic and social spaces into the buildings.” Imagine just having to walk down a flight of stairs to get to your 8 a.m. class… If you’re living in Willard or 560 Lincoln next year, you’ll have that luxury, and many others.
Both Willard and 560 Lincoln are part of Residential Services’ Housing Master Plan, which began in 2013 and is expected to be completed in 2025. The plan entails knocking down three campus res halls (Bobb Hall, McCulloch Hall, and Sargent Hall), renovating several others, and building five new ones, with the goal of improving the student residential experience. In other words, students (and prospective students) living on campus have a lot to look forward to in the future!