As part of its commitment to on-campus residential life, the University of Notre Dame announced plans for the construction of two new undergraduate halls on the south side of campus. These halls will help the University provide on-campus housing to all undergraduate students, including transfer students.
The project will entail the decommissioning of Pangborn and Fisher Halls to make room for the new residence halls.
“At Notre Dame, residential life is an integral part of the undergraduate educational experience. Residence halls allow students to interact with an array of peers, learn from each other, build communities and form lifelong friendships,” said University President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C. “These new halls, with enhanced community space, will ensure that we are able to provide current and future students with an appropriate living environment in a place they call home.”
In recent years, the University has taken significant steps to provide quality residential space to all Notre Dame students. Following the announcement of a six-semester residency requirement for undergraduate students, several halls were constructed, and others were extensively renovated while residents were moved to a “swing hall” for a full academic year. While major renovations were considered for Pangborn and Fisher Halls, it was determined that the existing structures were not amenable to extensive improvements alone.
As a result, in August 2024, Pangborn Hall residents will relocate to the new men’s residence hall currently under construction on the East Quad. Simultaneously, Fisher Hall residents will relocate to Zahm Hall, a swing hall facility, where residents will remain for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 academic years. In the fall of 2026, Fisher residents will move to the new men’s hall located on the former Fisher Hall site. When the new hall located on the former Pangborn Hall site opens at the same time, it will house a new women’s community. The new halls will bear the names of their respective benefactors.
Following the construction of the halls on the South Quad and the completion of the new men’s residence hall on the East Quad, the University’s on-campus residential capacity will increase by 445 beds, thus accommodating the six-semester residency requirement and ensuring housing for all transfer students going forward.
“As we enter this next phase of residential life at Notre Dame, I look forward to continuing to ensure our residence halls meet our students’ needs and contribute to the formation and development of all students within the context of a supportive community,” said Rev. Gerry Olinger, C.S.C., vice president for student affairs. “While the most important aspect of our residence hall communities continues to be the people who reside within them, the buildings themselves remain integral to supporting our students’ ability to experience personal growth and form valuable connections among one another.”
Although the new halls will differ from each other in appearance, both will reflect the collegiate gothic campus architecture represented in other newly constructed residence halls and be similar in square footage. The women’s hall will occupy 83,416 square feet and include 275 beds, and the men’s hall will be 82,728 square feet and include 258 beds.
Both residence halls will be three stories and include a variety of room types, community and study spaces, kitchens, laundry, a chapel, fitness space and a basement with storage. Additionally, the women’s hall will feature a tower that will signal the entrance to the hall, and the men’s hall will include a distinctive chapel visibly situated along the South Quad.