DOWNTOWN CROSSING – The thud of a hammer vibrates through the newly built dorm. At 10 West St., Suffolk University’s third dorm construction continues after students moved in this year for the second semester. Freshmen Victoria Ursch and Yvonne Beaudreau walked by the old elevator up the winding stairs to their second floor room."I like it a lot," Beaudreau said. "It is newer and the rooms are bigger."
The new residence was built because of the growing number of students at Suffolk. It accommodates 274 undergraduates in apartments and suites. It has a gym, a lounge area, a pool table, and flat screen TVs in the fitness room and lounge. The top eighth floor, which is still under construction, will be finished for the fall semester.
The commuter school’s first dorm at 150 Tremont St. opened in 1996, and the second one at 10 Somerset St. opened in 2003.
"We lack a lot of housing," Ursch said. She said on-campus housing is only for freshmen and sophomores. Juniors and seniors can be wait listed, but since it is not guaranteed, they have to live off-campus.
After being wait listed, junior Garrett Hauck now lives at 150 Tremont St. Hauck said living in an apartment off-campus can be expensive.
"I think it evens out in the long run," he said.
Students said Suffolk tuition will increase by 7 percent next year. They are unhappy about the high housing prices.
"The problem with Suffolk housing is that it is very, very expensive," sophomore Christina Loridas said. "The food in the in-building cafeterias is also not very good, and the choices are limited."
Ashley Gordon, coordinator for public affairs at Suffolk, said until recently the university hasn’t had enough housing for students. She said they have enough dorms for all the students but they are planning another dorm, the details of which she could not discuss.
The Boston Redevelopment Authority approved the dorm at 10 West St.
"The increased presence of students will add an additional vibrancy to the Downtown Crossing area and provide support for the retail business," the authority said in a statement.
"I like [the new dorm] because we are in the middle of the city," Ursch said.
One proposal by Mayor Thomas M. Menino was to build the dorm in Beacon Hill, but residents objected because of fear it would bring too many students into the residential neighborhood. Instead it was built in the Downtown Crossing area.
"Suffolk students will greatly add to the vitality of this area and ensure that it remains lively at all hours of the day," Menino said. On Jan. 9, 2008, he attended the opening of the dorm. Students were able to move in on Jan. 12, 2008.
"Suffolk got full community support," said Jessica Shumaker, spokeswoman for the BRA.
In a BRA press release, the mayor said he is happy to have the university join the Downtown Crossing community.