Watch the South Hall dedication and blessing ceremony.
It was an unseasonably warm Friday in mid-September when Gannon formally dedicated and blessed its newest on-campus residence, South Hall.
This modern residence hall was designed to accommodate the university’s growing population and the evolving needs of our upper-level students to provide a welcoming place to call home for 95 Knights.
The intentionality of the facility’s layout and amenities were guided by student input throughout its development and prove that the small details are what make a Gannon residence feel like home.
So, what makes South Hall stand out from Gannon’s other residence halls on campus?
LIVING THE SUITE LIFE
Three floors of this four-story building are dedicated to varying single and multi-student suites with private bathrooms designed to provide practical and convenient on-campus living. Three live-in resident assistants are available to support the residents 24/7.
“The kitchen provides students with opportunities to bond, make great food and spend time together. I’ve watched some of my residents make fried chicken in the kitchen while watching NFL together on our top-of-the-line TVs. This is the goal … this is what we want to provide for our residents and for our students: the possibility to form community.
-Ella Hammer, South Hall Resident Assistant
A PLACE TO BUILD COMMUNITY
Modern shared kitchens and common areas on each floor bring students together to create community and shared experiences. Kitchens are equipped with modern appliances and décor resembling those on HGTV. Common areas feature gathering space for groups and individuals whether students are holding a late-night study session or sampling recipes from the home countries of their hall mates.
Take a tour of South Hall.
FUNCTIONAL AND FUN AMENITIES
The amenities and atmosphere in South Hall are a hybrid of practical-meets-entertaining to meet the needs of this generation of college students. The residence provides conveniences including laundry facilities and private storage areas connected to a lounge on the lower level. On the fourth-floor, students can bring the outside in and catch the morning sunrise with four functional garage doors facing south to overlook Gannon’s I-HACK.
Nods to Erie’s aesthetic are found throughout the building, bringing the community to life inside its four walls. Amenities are paired with a tranquil color palette that mirror different phases of the day on each floor – from beach glass tones mimicking daytime vibes on the third floor, to a sunset scheme boasting bold oranges and yellows on the second floor, and more.
Erie has such amazing sun-shows and we wanted to try to give each floor its own personality. The theme is hinted at with artwork, photos, accent walls and colorful furniture pieces,” said Residence Life Director Denise Golden, Ed.D.
AN AESTHETIC ART EXPERIENCE
South Hall features 12 original pieces of artwork by Erie metal artist Evan Everhart. Most unique to the residence hall are the 29 pieces of original photography created by 18 current and former students that were selected from a pool of over 700 submissions. These photographs portray the students’ perception and experience of life on campus and in the Erie community.
The artwork throughout this building, and others continues Gannon’s trend of building a curated collection of art contributing to the student experience and supporting the values of our liberal core.
By Mallory Bottoni ’14, assistant director for marketing, communications and content