Beginning this semester, West Chester University opened the doors to Allegheny and Brandywine halls, the newest editions to residence life on campus, operated by University Student Housing LLC.The Brandywine and Allegheny residence halls consist of three different types of apartment-style suites. There is the two-bedroom double which houses four students and has a living area.
There is also a two-bedroom single, which is a suite with two bedrooms and a living room, that holds two students. Both of these styles have one bathroom. A three-bedroom double holds six students in three bedrooms, and has two bathrooms.
Currently Brandywine and Allegheny are home to approximately 600 students each, a majority of them first year students. The seventh floor of Allegheny is also the new home to the honors college.
According to Brandywine Hall Community manager Sean McDevitt, the new buildings are very aesthetically pleasing.
“The amenities speak for themselves, like the fitness center and the movie theater,” said McDevitt.
The new residence halls provide much more space for programming opportunities than the traditional residence halls. There is a multipurpose room located on the ground floor in both buildings.
Also, there is a lounge on every floor, which is a unique feature to Brandywine and Allegheny.
According to Lance Collier, the resident director of Brandywine Hall, this provides a sense of community amongst the dorm because students can use the lounge to meet others on their floor.
According to Collier, move in weekend went extremely well and was very energy focused. With a new residence hall also comes a new staff. According to Brandywine Hall resident assistant (RA) Alyssa Loper, the staff is very enthusiastic and excited for the upcoming year.
“Brandywine is a good start in the transition of making West Chester a stronger community,” said Loper.
“Being an RA in a new building is exciting because you get a different experience. Being an RA is a privilege, especially in the new dorms. It’s a privilege [for] the new students to [be in]a different atmosphere.”
Brandywine and Allegheny are of similar structure and have some of the same amenities as University Hall, the original existing suite style dormitory on campus.
Some similarities include free laundry services and a trash room on each floor. All buildings also have a gym all to themselves.
Some differences from University Hall are that the living areas in rooms are larger in the new buildings, and University Hall houses only upperclassmen while Brandywine and Allegheny are mostly first year students.
Perhaps the biggest difference between the new buildings and others dorms on campus is the swipe card access system.
In Brandywine and Allegheny not only does a student use their RAM-ecard to gain access the building, they also use it to get into their individual suites.
According McDevitt , similar buildings to Allegheny and Brandywine will be built in the future.
Leasing for Brandywine and Allegheny begins at the end of October for the fall of 2010. However, incoming freshman in 2010 will have first pick at the space.
Samantha Greenberg is a third-year student majoring in English. She can be reached at SG655862@wcupa.edu.