With shovels in hand and students at the heart of the vision, Kalamazoo College broke ground Thursday on new residence halls designed to foster connection, community and academic success.
A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thursday, June 12, for the $55 million residential facilities that will provide modern and sustainable housing for up to 218 juniors and seniors beginning in fall 2027. Progressive Companies is designing the building and Owen-Ames-Kimball is constructing. A portion of the project’s funding comes from a $30 million gift made in 2023 by an anonymous donor.
President Jorge G. Gonzalez was joined by Board of Trustees Chair Jody Clark ’80, Vice President for Student Development J. Malcolm Smith and student Lily Nestich ’28 in speaking about the College’s commitment to enhancing the campus experience for students. The event was attended by faculty, staff, students, trustees and community members, including Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson and Vice Mayor Jeanne Hess. K’s Associate Vice President for Facilities Management Susan Lindemann, Owen-Ames-Kimball Director of Operations (Kalamazoo) Tom Stanek, and Progressive Companies Principal Tod Stevens participated in the ceremony.
“As an alumna and a trustee, I know firsthand the importance of residential life to the mission of Kalamazoo College and to the student experience,” said Clark. “I’m very excited to see the College continue to evolve and move its long-term strategy forward.”
Gonzlez highlighted that strategy, noting that, “With this investment, we’re building more than buildings—we’re creating modern, inclusive spaces that foster student growth, advance our sustainability goals and reflect the thoughtful stewardship put forth in our campus master plan. We deeply appreciate the generosity of the donor who provided the initial gift in support of this project, to the many students, faculty, and staff who provided input to our planning process, and to all of the companies and contractors supporting this endeavor.”
Student speaker Lily Nestich, a member of KC DREAM, a disability student rights organization, highlighted the excitement surrounding the new halls, emphasizing that they are poised to become “the most accessible residence halls on campus.” Nestich added, “Being at K…has taught me a lot about myself and how I can grow with friends and classmates on a campus that not only allows for it, but fosters it. I’m so excited to see how these dorms allow for more students to feel connected to each other.”
In his remarks, Smith also reflected on the opportunities these residence halls will offer for intentional community-building. The design provides welcoming spaces available to all students, faculty and staff, including a community kitchen, a marketplace, a terrace with outdoor seating that faces the community, and a hall lounge suitable for presentations and programming.
“A fuller residential model offers powerful benefits to students—greater access to resources, to peers and mentors, and to the development of a sense of belonging,” said Smith. “This opportunity provides a fresh blueprint for how we integrate student living with curricular and co-curricular life.”
