As students have spent the last few weeks – and months – planning their courses for the Fall 2022 semester, some current and future residents have had to take another aspect into consideration: a slightly longer walk to their classes from their brand-new residence building: Maple Hall.  

Currently under construction, the hall was the first to fill up with students in the open room selection period prospective residents had, according to Director of Residence Life Karen Quackenbush. Features like full bathtubs, hardwood flooring and apartment-style living have caught the eyes of students.  

Andrew Christ, senior vice president of Real Estate Development and Capital Operations, spoke about the construction of the building. The procurement and design of Maple Hall took place during the initial height of the COVID-19 pandemic and construction began in Spring 2021 despite the pandemic generally affecting operations on and off campus. COVID-19 also contributed to some supply chain issues, including the insulation of the precast concrete panels, but these have been overcome by the developer and general contractor, and the completion remains on target for mid-August.  

“NJIT completed a residential demand study as far back as 2016 when a new facility was first contemplated. This effort included surveying students to determine the types of amenities a new facility should include, the room types as well as the appropriate number of beds that should be constructed,” he said. “The demand study was refreshed twice before the final decision was made to develop Maple Hall. In addition, residential students at the graduate and undergraduate levels participated in the committee that selected the developer and then continued to provide input during the building design.” 

NJIT partnered with RISE: A Real Estate Company and asked for feedback from students to provide the highest quality and most useful facilities and amenities in the hall.  

Currently, NJIT’s Carnegie Classification in terms of “Size and Setting” stands as “Four-year, medium, primarily nonresidential” according to Christ. “With the addition of Maple Hall, we anticipate that NJIT will move into the ‘primarily residential’ category,” he said.  

In addition to the features mentioned earlier, there is also an outdoor terrace with a fire pit, outdoor kitchen and seating; electronics keyless access; a street-level retail marketplace; an Esports gaming lounge; and stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops.  

“With the many accolades NJIT has garnered over the past few years, including being an R1 research university and a Top 50 public university, we are competing for students regionally, nationally, and internationally,” Christ added. “Providing a residential college experience is an important part of our growth and Maple Hall adds 548 beds to our current inventory, adding a modern, apartment-style facility with many living options.”