LOUISVILLE, Ky. — First-year students at the University of Louisville have a new residence hall to enjoy. 

UofL celebrated the opening of the new Residence Hall, which is in the heart of the Belknap Campus. The building is simply called New Residence Hall (NRH) and will house 450 mostly first-year students in one- and two-bedroom units on five floors. NRH will also be home to UofL’s new Center for Engaged Learning, where students can find hands-on job and research opportunities.

“We know students, especially in their first year, thrive when they are immersed in the college experience,” said Lori Stewart Gonzalez, interim president, in a statement. “This new hall and its twin neighbor place 900 first-year students as close as they can be to the Swain Student Activities Center, the Interfaith Center, Ekstrom Library, numerous classroom buildings and our beautiful outdoor spaces.”

UofL invested $87 million in creating two residence halls as part of its strategic plan. The first new hall opened last year and is called the Belknap Residence Hall. These two new buildings replace Miller and Threlkeld halls, which had been home to first-year students for almost sixty years.

For NRH, the university listened to students about what they wanted to see in rooms. The new hall offers common areas with lots of natural light, classrooms, private study rooms, a game room, a kitchen and several laundry areas. It also features private bathrooms.

The university will soon open another residence hall, Denny Crum Residence Hall. UofL Athletics is opening the 128-bed center across the street from the Kueber Center, which houses men’s and women’s basketball along with lacrosse.