FAIRFIELD—Construction is under way for two additional residence halls that will make up the residence village on Sacred Heart University’s Upper Quad—formerly the site of Jewish Senior Services. The first of what is anticipated to be six halls—housing more than 900 students—opened early this year. It is named after Pierre Toussaint, a freed slave who became a noted philanthropist.
The two halls under construction will offer a combination of apartments and suites, each housing four or five students. They are expected to open in the fall of 2019.
The apartments will include living rooms, kitchens and bathrooms, in addition to the bedrooms. Mike Kinney, senior vice president for Finance & Administration at SHU, describes the buildings as state-of-the-art. “In addition to the modern and spacious suites and apartments, the halls will offer study spaces and lounge areas for the students,” he said.
“We anticipate the Upper Quad will eventually include a new dining facility, in addition to its close proximity to Linda’s and JP’s Diner,” Kinney noted. “These housing facilities are also conveniently located next to the new Bobby Valentine Athletic Center, which is currently under construction and will be open to all students.” Kinney even predicts that eventually there will be retail businesses on campus—something that students have often requested.
“With the addition of the Upper Quad, we will be able to offer more students the option of on-campus living, which adds to their experience and helps them to assimilate to college life more easily,” Kinney said.
About Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University, the second-largest independent Catholic university in New England, offers more than 80 undergraduate, graduate, doctoral and certificate programs on its main campus in Fairfield, Conn., located less than 60 miles from Manhattan and approximately 150 miles from Boston. With its five miles of shoreline, marinas, parks, open space and plenty of shopping and fine dining, Fairfield is consistently recognized as a top community in the Northeast in which to live. In 2018 the town earned an A+ in a ‘report card’ by Niche on “Best Places to Live” in Connecticut. Sacred Heart also has satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland. It comprises more than 300 acres of land, including an 18-hole golf course and the former global headquarters of General Electric. Rooted in the 2000-year-old Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts, Sacred Heart embraces a vision for social justice and educates students in mind, body and spirit to prepare them personally and professionally to make a difference in the global community. More than 8,500 students attend the University’s six colleges: Arts & Sciences; Health Professions; Nursing; the Jack Welch College of Business; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education; and St. Vincent’s College. Consistently recognized for excellence, The Princeton Review includes SHU in its guides, Best 382 Colleges–2018 Edition, “Best in the Northeast” and Best 267 Business Schools–2018 Edition. It also placed SHU on its lists for “Best College Theater” and “Most Engaged in Community Service,” each of which comprises only 20 U.S. schools. U.S.News & World Report ranks SHU in its Best Colleges 2018 guidebook and calls SHU the fourth “Most Innovative School” in the North. The Chronicle of Higher Education also names SHU one of the fastest-growing Roman Catholic universities in its 2016 almanac. Sacred Heart has a Division I athletics program. www.sacredheart.edu
