University Times

The Nordenberg Hall elevator lobby features digital signage inside the University Place building entrance.

Spacious stairwells facing University Place afford a view of the Cathedral of Learning.

The University’s newest freshman residence, Nordenberg Hall, opened its doors this month to 543 freshmen and 16 resident assistants.

In addition to housing students on floors 3-10, the $59 million building’s street-level space at the corner of University Place and Fifth Avenue is home to the Student Health Pharmacy. Student Health’s Wellness Center incorporates counseling and student health services on the second floor.

PNC Bank is moving across Fifth Avenue later this year to the building’s first floor, making way for a Starbucks in its place. The University has yet to choose a tenant for a 2,500-square-foot retail space along Fifth Avenue in Nordenberg Hall,

A third-floor terrace features space for benches and tables; a portion of the terrace is green roof — a sustainable design feature that earns credits toward a LEED silver designation.

Associate Vice Chancellor for Business Eli Shorak told the University Times during a media tour of the residence hall earlier this month.

Rooms are furnished with beds, wooden desks and dressers and are equipped with a refrigerator, microwave and flat screen TV — in part to save on wear and tear on the building that can occur when students move large items in and out of the residence halls.

Lounge spaces are designed both as a living room where students can connect with one another informally and as a meeting space where students can gather for presentations. The common areas feature a semicircle of furniture, defined by a low wall that can double as seating. Space for quiet study sits just off each floor’s lounge area.