The following image shows a rendering of the two new South 40 dormitories (image sourced from WashU’s filed plans with the City of Clayton)

Despite backing off of various construction projects this past year, WashU has laid out plans to build two new dormitories on the South 40 in an effort to accommodate the increasing demand for on-campus housing.

According to plans filed with the City of Clayton, the University hopes to house 600 more students on the South 40 to contribute to WashU’s long-term goal of housing all first- and second-year students in the residential area. The project is currently pending approval from the City of Clayton and does not have a specific timeline at the time of publication.

The buildings will be located along Forsyth Boulevard and Wallace Drive, which is currently occupied by the Gaylord Music Library; Blewett, and Tietjens Hall, both of which are music buildings; and the Alumni House and its parking lot. The University is currently building a new Alumni House.

Additionally, according to an email the chair of the Department of Music Patrick Burke sent to students, the facilities of the music department will be moved. The faculty offices and seminar room will be moved to the Academy Building, and the classrooms, piano lab, analog synth lab, and the digital production lab will be moved to Lopata House. Furthermore, the materials of the Gaylord Library will be moved to either Olin Library or West Campus.

A common courtyard will separate the two dormitories, which will be four stories tall with certain sections reaching five stories. The 150 double rooms for first-years and 300 single rooms for sophomores between the two buildings will include both shared, hall-style restrooms and traditional communal-style restrooms. Of the 450 units in the upcoming construction project, 5% will be made handicap accessible. The plans also include additional accommodations for Residential Advisors and Community Directors. 

To first-year Gloria Zhang, this change could make it difficult for students on the South 40 to access music practice rooms, which are currently housed in Tietjens Hall.

“I think right now it’s quite convenient [to go to Tietjens] because I live on the South 40, and I could walk there in less than 10 minutes to go to a morning class,” she said. “The practice rooms are also very close. Otherwise, I have to go to the 560 Music Center where there are not many practice rooms.” 

Zhang expressed concern over where the Gaylord Library’s materials would be moved. Sophomore Isa Cowart, who currently takes a class in the music center on the South 40, said she views the removal of the music library as a loss.

“I used the resources available in that library for all of the research on one of my papers, and I think the replacement of that building and those resources with new dorms will be a real loss.” Cowart said. “I also feel like the fact that the school [bought Fontbonne’s] campus should mean that the music library shouldn’t have to be removed in order to make more space.” 

Cowart sees the University’s future construct project as another indicator of underinvestment in the arts at WashU.

“It’s already disappointing how the creative and art fields aren’t as well funded as other schools within the university and the fact that it’s the music library that’s being removed is just further reinforcing that as an issue,” Cowart said.

Sophomore Miriam Moyes said she sees some potential benefits with the changes to first-year and sophomore living spaces.

“It would create more cohesion in the sophomore class,” Moyes said. “It could also help the freshmen and sophomores get closer.”

This article will be updated as the story unfolds.