From the Ground Up: Drury University Sunderland Hall

Address: 900 N. Benton

Owner/developer: Drury University

General contractor: DeWitt and Associates Inc.

Architect: Oke-Thomas Associates Architects

Engineer: Smith-Goth Engineers Inc.

Size: 46,249 square feet

Estimated cost: $5 million

Lender: none

Estimated completion date: fall

Project description: A new 128-bed residence hall at Drury University will retain the name of Sunderland Hall, the 100-bed men's residence hall that stood on the same site for 40 years until it was demolished in 2003. The new hall is divided into suites on four floors, with four single rooms and two full bathrooms in each suite, according to Tristan Davies, director of university communications. Designed by Drury alumnus John Oke-Thomas, it is intended to support the development of interest-specific housing groups like Drury's popular living-learning communities, Davies added.