Temple University Opens $216 Million Dorm Building With Full Kitchen and 42-Inch TVs (VIDEO)
ByTemple University has officially opened its brand new $216 million residence building, Morgan Hall, with flat screen TVs, modern furniture and plenty of kitchen and bathroom space, CBS Philadelphia reported.
The new residential complex, containing two dormitory towers, a dining hall and a terrace, is located at the corner of Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Upperclassmen get the added bonus of living with a view 27 stories above the city streets.
Each apartment in Morgan Hall has a full-size refrigerator, a sink, stovetop, microwave, furniture and a 42-inch flat screen TV.
"Did you see the view?" said sophomore Michael Bonomo. "It's absolutely amazing."
Kevin Williams, the school's director of residence life, said the new residence complex is a method for Temple to attract student to live on campus. He said 5,500 of the 40,000 students who attend the school live on campus. He said he hopes to change that with the new facility that fits 1,275.
Click here to see pictures.
"We believe that more students will want to come to this type of experience," says Williams. "This puts Temple on the map, like no other experience puts Temple on the map when it comes to living on campus."
Associate vice president of student affairs Michael Scales said the building's common areas have various amenities of their own, something he believes is important to students.
"Amenities mean something to students. It also allows us to be able to set up the environment so there is less they need to purchase and bring on the campus," Scales said.
The dorm towers will also feature security at the door and a large dining hall with several options. All this comes at a steep price of $10,000 per year on top of tuition, with $6,000 being the cheapest option.
"Our lowest hall is about $6,000 a year, so there is some variation in cost and age of facilities on campus," says Williams, who notes the oldest facility is 53 year old. "It's a different type of student that wants to live here."
Despite the additional hefty price tag, some parents said all the amenities had them sold.
"At first I said we're absolutely not going to Temple," Bonomo's mother, Judy. "But when I toured and saw all the security and fabulous lighting, I loved it."