Open House Showcases Continued Remodel of Wallace Residence Center
Wednesday, July 15
The University of Idaho is unveiling the completed first floor remodel of Gooding Wing in Wallace Residence Center.
UI’s Housing & Residence Life team will host an open house from 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, July 22, to allow community members the opportunity to view the newly remodeled space. The open house will be held on the first floor of Gooding, through the entrance off of Stadium Drive.
Built in 1962, Wallace is home to 1,000 students and is the most traditional residence hall on UI’s campus. The Gooding Wing, one of four wings in Wallace, consists of six floors of suite style rooms. Each newly remodeled room sleeps two people, with a shared bathroom between each four-person suite. This building is at the center of student activity where the dining hall, student success center and community lounge are located.
This is the sixth floor of the Gooding Wing to be renovated as part of a multi-year effort that began in 2011. UI Housing & Residence Life has been using internal staff to remodel the building floor-by-floor, said Cara Lehman, marketing coordinator for Housing & Residence Life. The crew is now beginning demolition on the second floor of Gooding.
The renovation of the 50-year-old structure is cosmetic, Lehman said, with the floors receiving new carpet, paint, furniture, cabinets, vanities and bathroom fixtures. Most of the items in the residence hall were original to 1962, so “it needed that facelift,” Lehman said. Housing & Residence Life has spent approximately $200,000 per floor, with an investment so far of $1.2 million.
The student response to the renovation has been overwhelming.
“Students absolutely love it. We have seen an increase in students returning to the renovated floors and excited about it when deciding to attend the University of Idaho,” Lehman said.
In June, the Idaho State Board of Education/Board of Regents approved moving into the planning and design phase for the remaining 12 floors of Wallace. The intention is to hire an outside company to complete the remodel more rapidly than can be done with internal staff.
About the University of Idaho
The University of Idaho helps students to succeed and become leaders. Its land-grant mission furthers innovative scholarly and creative research to grow Idaho's economy and serve a statewide community. From its main campus in Moscow, Idaho, to 70 research and academic locations statewide, U-Idaho emphasizes real-world application as part of its student experience. U-Idaho combines the strength of a large university with the intimacy of small learning communities. It is home to the Vandals. For information, visit www.uidaho.edu.