Talking Stick - January/February 2009 - 51

First takes Name Change Serves a Member Well DesignYourDorm.com debuted at the ACUHO-I annual conference in June 2008. This Web site allows students to view an exact 3-D replica of their assigned residence hall room and design it to their liking by clicking and dragging desired objects from the store into their room. The site also enables roommates to collaborate prior to their arrival by dividing purchases with customized “shopping lists.” This service, which is offered at no cost (universities actually receive an affiliate fee from their students’ purchases), was a hit among conference attendees, except for one problem: the name. “People kept talking about our name. They don’t use the term ‘dorm’ anymore,” said Bryce Widelitz, managing partner of the site. “They explained that dorm is an old term that means just a place to sleep. It’s not just a place to sleep anymore – it’s a place where you live your life.” Bryce contacted housing officers to ask about how the term was perceived, receiving similar dissatisfied responses. After much deliberation, the Web development team created the new name for the service: CollegeRoomCreator.com. Both the institutions and the company are pleased with the new name and its implications. “Schools told us they called it a residence hall now, and we believed if we’re going to work with universities, we want to accommodate them,” said Widelitz. “People wouldn’t do business with us if we used the word ‘dorm.’ The new title describes our service perfectly, and we attribute that to ACUHO-I.” For more information and to view the new Web site, visit www.CollegeRoomCreator.com. grOunD breakin gs East Tennessee State University Johnson City, Tennessee Projected Opening: August 2009 • Cost: $31.3 million Ken Ross Architects, Inc. is building a six-story apartment complex that will house 402 students in 143,655 square feet of space. Each apartment is equipped with two-bedroom units with shared living rooms and kitchenettes, climate control, carpet and wood-look vinyl flooring, and sound-absorbing acoustical ceilings. The building features a two-story main entrance lobby, large meeting rooms, a convenience store, and a dining room with an exterior terrace. Colorado State University Fort Collins, Colorado Projected Opening: August 2009 • Cost: $19 million Christopher Carvell Architects and Allen & O’Hara Education Services are teaming up to create a five-story building, an extension of the Academic Village Residence Hall, which features a classroom, seminar space, fireside lounge, and small-group meeting space. The new hall will consist of hotelstyle suites, with double rooms sharing a private bathroom. The building will also include a dining hall, an express coffee shop, a study space, a sports grill, and air conditioning. Colorado State is aiming for the Gold level of LEED Certification for the building. Salem State College Salem, Massachusetts Projected Opening: September 2010 • Cost: $40 million DiMella Shaffer Architects is building a four-story residence hall that will house 436 sophomores, helping the college reach its goal of doubling the number of students on campus. The most advanced and environmentally friendly building on campus, the new building will feature solar panels, enabling it to receive the Green level of LEED Certification. This will be the first Salem State College residence hall to include a dining facility. It will also feature a meeting space and air conditioning. Berry College Mount Berry, Georgia Projected Opening: August 2009 • Cost: $29 million Cooper Carry Architects is constructing the two three-story structures, which will house a total of 345 sophomores and juniors in a traditional residence hall environment. The buildings will provide double- and single-occupancy rooms, one fireplace per building, large social areas, patios, and card access to exterior doors. The project will help Berry meet the goals of increasing residential capacity and overall student enrollment. give up tHe Details Is there a new product or service that is so fantastic you want to share it with other members? Send a brief description to talkingstick@acuho-i.org. January + February 2009 51

http://www.DesignYourDorm.com http://www.CollegeRoomCreator.com http://www.CollegeRoomCreator.com

Talking Stick - January/February 2009

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