Southeast Community College will break ground Tuesday, Nov. 10, on Arbor Hall, a $48.4 million residence hall that will add 230 beds and a 300-seat dining hall to its Lincoln campus. The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. on the north side of campus, across from the Welding Technology Center at 8800 O St.
SCC Communications Specialist Jennifer Snyder tells KLIN News the college’s first Lincoln residence hall, Woodhaven Hall, is full and has a long waitlist. The college has already made room for more students there. “Some of the rooms that are doubles are actually made into triples,” Snyder said.
Snyder said demand for housing has grown as the Lincoln campus draws students from farther away and hosts more athletic programs. She said SCC President Paul Illich wanted students to feel more connected to a campus that historically served commuters. “He wanted it to be more of a destination and for students to feel like they were a part of a community,” Snyder said. “And one way you do that is through student housing.”
Arbor Hall will have double and four-person rooms with shared living spaces, along with individual and group study areas, kitchens on each floor and free laundry. The dining hall will have multiple food stations and a grab-and-go shop where students can pick up sandwiches and salads between classes.
At Woodhaven, a double room with a meal plan currently costs $5,135 or $5,221 a year, depending on the plan. Snyder expects Arbor Hall rates to be similar, with the price depending on the room and meal plan a student chooses. She said a four-person room could cost less than a double.
SCC expects Arbor Hall to open in fall 2028. Tuesday’s ceremony will include remarks from Illich and Scott Maas, associate vice president for the Lincoln campus.