Lenoir-Rhyne announces Eastside Commons, first new residence hall in nearly 25 Years

For the first time in nearly 25 years, Lenoir-Rhyne University is building a new residence hall on its Hickory campus. 

Construction begins in September 2026 on Eastside Commons, a four-story living-learning community designed specifically for first-year students. The approximately $25 million project will house 246 students and is scheduled to open in fall 2027.

The Lenoir-Rhyne University Board of Trustees unanimously approved the project at its September meeting, marking a significant investment in the university’s continued growth and the student experience.  

Eastside Commons will be the first new residence hall constructed on the Hickory campus since the Living Learning Center opened in 2001. As Lenoir-Rhyne welcomes the largest incoming class in its history and plans for future enrollment growth, the new facility will join nearby Fritz-Conrad Residence Hall to create a cohesive first-year residential neighborhood.  

“Eastside Commons is an investment in the future of Lenoir-Rhyne and, most importantly, in the students who will call this university home,” said university president Summer McGee, Ph.D. “As Lenoir-Rhyne continues to grow, this project gives us an opportunity not simply to add housing, but to create an environment where students can build relationships, find community and feel a sense of belonging from their first days on campus.”

Designed as more than a traditional residence hall, Eastside Commons will bring residential life, academics, dining and recreation together in one community. The building will feature private pod-style residential living, common rooms, study lounges, a community kitchen and three classrooms, bringing opportunities for learning and connection directly into the residential experience.

A new 200-seat dining hall will serve both the first-year neighborhood and the broader campus community. Outside, an athletic and social courtyard commons is planned to include beach volleyball, games, a firepit and gathering spaces.

Together, Eastside Commons and Fritz-Conrad will allow Lenoir-Rhyne to house nearly all incoming first-year students within one residential neighborhood, creating new opportunities to connect students with one another and with the resources and support that contribute to student success.

The project is part of Lenoir-Rhyne’s continued investment in the student experience and in a campus designed to support future enrollment growth. Philanthropic support will complement the university’s investment in Eastside Commons, with naming opportunities available throughout the project.  

The university will celebrate the start of the project with a groundbreaking ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 9 a.m. at the Eastside Commons site as part of Homecoming Weekend. Construction will continue throughout the 2026–27 academic year, with the first students moving into Eastside Commons in fall 2027.