Sept. 28, 2012

PHILADELPHIA - Rising over the intersection of City Avenue and Cardinal Avenue, Villiger Residence Hall welcomed its first residents this fall. Saint Joseph's newest and largest student residence houses up to 400 students, including dozens of student-athletes.

Villiger Residence Hall

"It's awesome. Everything is state of the art," remarks Joe McErlean '16, who plays on the men's lacrosse team. "It's really a home away from home. There's always something going on and it's a good place to meet friends."

The University's most comprehensive residential project since the construction of the City Avenue Apartments (Lannon and Rashford Halls) in 2004 and the first addition of new freshmen beds since McShain Hall was built in 1988, Villiger Hall boasts breathtaking views of the Maguire Campus.

"I really love the rooms in Villiger. There are so many creative ways to organize your own room," states Morgan Michon '16, a women's soccer player. "They have a lot of lighting and you can see the city skyline from some rooms."

"Villiger is the prime location on campus," adds Shannon Westhead '16, who is also is a member of the women's soccer team. "Being so close to food, the fields, and all classes is very convenient."

Each floor of the six story, 120,000 sqf building, includes lounges, study areas and common restroom facilities. Residents can also take advantage of in-room air conditioning and basic cable television, a state-of-the-art fitness center, building-wide wireless networking, laundry facilities, and vending machines. The hall, which maintains around the clock security, was constructed to maximize student interaction.

Named in honor of Fr. Burchard Villiger S.J., the fifth president of Saint Joseph's College and a faculty member from its founding in 1851, ground was broken on the facility, which is managed by Campus Apartments, in the spring of 2011. Check out time-lapse presentations (link: http://oxblue.com/open/sju2) of the entire construction.