VINES
1
KEVIN MANGUIOB
D AV I D D U N C A N
View of the Champion Circle residence halls before demolition begins.
VINES
2
The first new residence hall will be built on the site of dorms 1-4.
VINES
3
The master plan includes six new residence halls. 26
Students in residence halls 1-4 on Champion Circle move to the Liberty-owned Quality Inn as the school prepares for construction on a new high-rise tower.
>> hall and about 500 beds. Students at both sites will share the dining hall, and frequent bus service will continue to and from campus. Sophomore Louis Hensler shared his excitement when he heard he would be moving. “All of the guys are sticking together, so I’m happy about that,” he said. “I think it’s good that Liberty is trying to grow and expand. I’m excited the campus is getting nicer and improving. I think overall it is a good thing for the university.” As Liberty expands its on-campus amenities, it should be able to accommodate future growth and bring its student body closer to campus. Liberty Chancellor and President Jerry Falwell, Jr. said the objective is to reduce the need for transient automobile traffic to and from the campus that clogs roadways and requires construction of parking lots for commuters. “Students will be able to ride bikes, walk, and ride buses to and from campus,” he said. Within a decade or so, the new residence facilities will be able to house Liberty’s East Campus population (2,800 beds) in addition to the entire Circle and Annex population. At that point, the university will consider selling both hotels, Falwell explained. East Campus would then become Liberty-owned