SEATTLE — Moving is, of course, stressful.
But try moving more than 600 college students out of one dorm hall and into another.
The University of Washington is doing something unique: Moving students down the street mid-school year.
Charles C. Terry Hall, circa 1956, has seen better days.
The UW says it’s time to move dorm residents out for good.
“It was a pretty large undertaking," said Josh Gana, assistant director for facilities and operations at UW.
Enter the new, 245,000-square-foot Lander Hall along Northeast Campus Parkway.
More than 600 Terry Hall residents knew the day would come.
They’re packed up and will move to their new home on Jan. 4.
The worn hallways of Terry Hall will give way to the smell of fresh paint and brand new carpet in Lander.
Some would call the retro dorm rooms in Terry a rite of passage.
Either way, the rooms are being replaced with sleek metal at Lander.
A big selling point for students in the new building is the full bathrooms in each room.
While Terry Hall had the standard community room, each level at Lander has its own study or lounge, equipped with a community kitchen.
Freshman Jeffrey Yocum can’t wait to move in.
"I think it's a great experience, because we got to experience a really old dorm and then the newest dorm, too, so we get the best of both worlds," he said.
Even students who won’t be calling Lander home are impressed, though they wonder: How much will it cost?
Try about a 50 percent increase in the rate: $8,400 a year.
To compensate for the move mid-year and the price increase, UW is giving residents a $500 discount.
"We brought a moving company in,” said Gana. “All students had to do was pack their belongings in boxes and leave them labeled, go home for break, come back and they'll come back to their new rooms and their boxes will be there and they'll be ready to unpack and settle in."
UW says the old Terry Hall will also be demolished and two buildings will go up in its place by summer of 2015.
But before it comes down, police and fire will use the vacant building for training in January.
KIRO
