Five hundred beds, a black box theater and various studios are just a few of the amenities residents can expect to see in Johnson B Complex in the Schmidt/Wilson halls.
The two-year-long project will wrap up construction on June 5, but George Edwards, associate director of facilities, said the construction should finish the first week of May. After that, the university will go through and clean the structure.
The university is responsible for furnishing the building and the furniture is expected to arrive on June 15. The process of installing furniture and equipment should take around five weeks, which gives the new hall staff about a month to adjust before the 2017-18 academic year.
Johnson B is "a bit" bigger than Johnson A, Edwards said. Although the buildings are next-door neighbors, Johnson B doesn’t mirror Johnson A.
Dorms
Dorm rooms now feature laminate, similar to the living spaces in Noyer. The floors have saved the university $90,000 in maintenance fees, Edwards said. Students will no longer have cable hookups in their room — instead, there are EP devices to promote live streaming.
Additionally, each room will have an emergency alert system.
Study Lounges
Instead of kitchens in the middle of the hall, study lounges take their place. The change was implemented after gathering student feedback.
Kitchens
After gathering student feedback, kitchens in Johnson B can be found in the multi-functional lounge. The lounge overlooks the outdoor space between Johnson A and B and gives students a view of the future open space the Campus Master Plan refers to.
Lobby
Revolving doors will serve as a single entry point to the dorm. The door saves 10-15 percent of energy. The mailroom will be larger after housing recognized the number of online orders students receive. A portable stage will also be available for use in the lobby.
Off of the lobby, there will be a fenced in area for students. The area and the walkway between Johnson A and B will have heated sidewalks.
Laundry Room
The laundry room will now come equipped with an app to let students know when their laundry is complete.
Studios
Johnson B will have a dance and design studio. The Theatre and Dance and Design Living Learning Communities are housed in this dorm. The LLCs are moving into the new building due to the need of a makerspace said Joel Bynum, assistant director for coordination of living and learning communities.
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