With a Beam and Crane, NJIT Marks Milestone in Dorm Construction
A gleaming white concrete beam was signed by well-wishers and lifted by crane to the roof of a new residence hall going up at New Jersey Institute of Technology to mark a milestone in a project that began with administrative conversations three years ago and will end this fall with the opening of Maple Hall.
The eight-story, U-shaped building will have 176 apartment-style units for one or two students and feature amenities such as full kitchens, a convenience store, grass courtyard, fire pit and group rooms for studying and gaming.
The modern, energy-efficient hall supports NJIT’s drive to broaden its geographical appeal and welcome a greater proportion of residential students. As NJIT President Joel S. Bloom explained at the beam ceremony, “Maple Hall is critical to the future of our university.”
Another speaker, Board of Trustees Chair and alumnus Robert Cohen '83 '84 '87, echoed that sentiment, adding, "We're in a good situation that we can have a building because of what we’ve been able to do with growth, because of all the money we’ve put into campus transformation and because of our R1 (top research) status. That is what is bringing more students here, what more students want.
“And, as we look at the demographics of the changes in the New Jersey area, guess what? More students have to come from further away. So, as we reach further into Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland, we need housing and we need apartment-style housing. And this building is simply spectacular.”
Last fall, NJIT welcomed the largest class of incoming students in its history, with more than 1,400 students from 21 states and 23 countries. Computer science is their most popular major, followed by mechanical engineering, computer engineering, architecture and biology. It’s also the most diverse class ever with 35% identifying as Hispanic, Latinx and Black and 23% identifying as Asian.
