Shipstad Hall, a student residence at the University of Portland in Portland, Oregon, will remain closed until at least the 2025-26 school year, housing officials say.
The Beacon reports that the residence hall closed for renovations for the 2023-24 school year, but had been expected to reopen for 2024-25.
But Director of Residence Life Andrew Weingarten said housing officials determined that all 11 of the university's residence halls were not needed to accommodate current on-campus residents.
The university can comfortably house nearly 2,050 students. But only 1,520 students are living on campus, which leaves 500 to 600 beds not in use.
The Office of Residence Life aims to maintain student occupancy in residence halls at 85% to 100% — which Weingarten sees as an opportunity to build more community within the halls.
“It was apparent that something had to close so that we would drive up occupancy in all of the remaining halls so that life in those halls was fun and vibrant," said Weingarten.
The 57-year-old Shipstad Hall is receiving significant updates, including new flooring in common areas, updated lighting and paint, partial roof replacement, HVAC renewal, furniture upgrades, new safety fencing in stairwells and an elevator overhaul for students to live comfortably.
