On Thursday, December 18^th, JoeAnn Drake, a representative from Senator Bonacic’s Office attended the groundbreaking ceremony for a new residence hall at SUNY New Paltz. The residence hall, scheduled to open in August 2015, will play a critical role in meeting significant student demand for on-campus housing. The 69,000 square foot building will feature residential wings organized in clusters of four double beds around two private bathrooms. The building will house a brand new café, a seminar room, designated quite study lounges, and Skype rooms for students. The residence hall has incorporated energy efficient standards in its design and construction, and is on track to reach Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification.