Providence University College lost its largest student dormitory, Bergen Hall, to a fire in 2017. Now, in its stead, stands another building, taller, bigger, and better.

“Muriel Taylor Hall will facilitate our ‘living and learning’ philosophy and further the work of Providence in the world. To that end, we dedicate this building to the glory of God.”

The brand new building was officially commissioned by President David Johnson at a ceremony on Monday. Those in attendance ranged from professors to alumni to local politicians. All seemed to share the same initial impression: the space was impressive.

Walking through the entryway, visitors are greeted by a large open atrium scattered with couches, chairs, and tables all centralized around a hearth opposite the door. It contains two staff housing units, sixty student rooms, a kitchen, and one classroom and is being touted as a living and learning facility; space where all parts of student life come together. Johnson says every inch of the hall was designed to nurture relationships between residents, commuters, and faculty.

“There are a lot of windows in this building, and a lot of spaces for students to interact with each other,” Johnson says. “Natural light is a part of helping students stay healthy and smaller personal rooms help get them out.”

According to Marlin Reimer, the Associate Vice-President for Student Life, the students’ reaction has been even better than anticipated.

“I expected there to be some negative feedback here and there, but really there hasn’t been any. I’ve talked to quite a few students and they are very happy with it. They love the community kitchen, they love the light, they love the comfortable furniture, all of those things you would notice when you come into the building.”

Muriel Taylor Hall, named after one of Providence’s first professors, has been housing students since the start of the second semester. The female dormitory cost $7.5 million and was funded by insurance and roughly 1,400 donors. The facility’s interior is almost entirely complete, but some visual detailing on the exterior remains.

“We lost at least a month of work due to weather-related complications,” says Reimer, insinuating the bitter February and extremely wet fall of 2019. “We would have had everything done if that wouldn’t have been the case.”

When Bergen Hall burnt, the new building was grafted into Providence’s Impact 2020 fundraising campaign. At that point, the school expanded its vision from a $12.5 million goal to a $14.5 million goal. Johnson says, so far they have reached $13.9 million and that number continues to rise.