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Nick Nicholas, director of residence life at UW-L, said students put up $22.3 million in student fees to tear down and rebuild Reuter Hall as a suite-style facility.
Each unit of the new residence hall will have four bedrooms and a common living room, bathroom and kitchen. About 380 students will be able to call Reuter home when it opens in fall 2006.
Residence life staff have made up for the loss of 200 beds by making double rooms into triples and converting some community lounges into rooms for this academic year.
Living in apartment-style housing is a trend students are demanding — and willing to pay for, area residence life professionals said.
Sessions have shown students enjoy the social aspects of a dorm but also want some privacy, Nicholas said.
Many wanted amenities like air conditioning or furniture that can be rearranged — the ability to tailor their living space.
Living on campus in general is still a popular choice, especially for freshmen, said Jason Ramaker, Viterbo University director of residence life.
The "traditional" residence hall — known for its community bathrooms and lounges — is beneficial for first-year students because it encourages them to be more social, he said.
Apartments are good for upperclassmen because they already have started forming their social circles, and living with just a few other people gives them more independence while teaching them how to live on their own.
"That's what they kind of expect here," Ramaker said. "They do want to have the option. Luckily, we are able to meet that with apartment complexes."
Other unique campus living arrangements include theme houses at Viterbo — homes owned by the university that students apply to live in, with each house taking a theme centered on service and education.
White Hall at UW-L is a substance free hall, where students choose to prohibit tobacco and alcohol consumption.
