Students were promised a new building, but now some of them are living on a construction site 

From the animated pictures to the progress the community has watched over the past year, students have been anxiously anticipating a swift completion of the new Panther Commons building. 

 

Panther Commons is a building that is supposed to bring in more housing opportunities, fine dining, study halls and a hair and nail salon. This $95 million dollar investment is no short of amazing, at least that is what was promised. 

 

This semester a lot of students have been unhappy regarding the building and a lot goes back to the fact: it is still under construction. 

 

“It is still under construction and really far from everything else on campus,” said Sofia Staiano, an HPU sophomore. 

 

Only half of the building is completed according to the HPU Panther Commons website. It states that there will be a fitness room, numerous restaurants and eateries, retail and other amenities all under the two words that students seem to be dreading: coming soon. 

 

The anticipation leading up to the completion is pretty intense. A lot of students feel like once it is completed, a lot of the issues will be resolved, however, some may wonder why students were even allowed and accepted to live on a construction site. 

 

“When housing came out last year they were very positive the whole building including the amenities would be done. They had nowhere else for us to go, so they let us live here,” said Kara Sheehann, a sophomore at HPU. This was also confirmed by Michelle, a Jamba Juice employee who was set to start working in Panther Commons in August. 

 

Not only is the construction a concern, the new hibachi restaurant also has its pros and cons for students who live in Panther Commons. 

 

A student who lives in Panther Commons, but wishes to stay anonymous says, “Not that I would ever like my living area to smell like food, but this does not smell good at all. In some areas it is worse than others and thankfully I live far enough from the restaurant that the bedroom does not smell as strong as the hallways.” 

 

Another ongoing problem is the price students have to pay to live in a building that is not finished. Panther Commons offers Tier 3, Tier 4, and Tier 6 according to the HPU returning students website, which means on top of the $19k that students are paying for standard tuition an additional $6,000 to $16,000 is added to live in Panther Commons. 

 

If the building was finished the price would equate to the amenities, but due the the loud alarms, noise from construction, and the smell of the hibachi restaurant nothing equates to a whopping total of $25,403.82 if you choose the lowest tier in the building, Tier 3.

 

“If the building was finished I wouldn't be complaining about how much I am spending to live here, but constantly listening to alarms in the building every day is not ideal. When all amenities are open to use, the building is reasonably priced as its current tier,” said an anonymous student. 

 

Pam Haynes provided some information on Panther Commons and the construction site. 

 

“The university completed all rooms and welcomed 300 students in August to live in Panther Commons, which accommodates growing enrollment and a growing number of graduate students who want to live on campus. The location for this project was strategically chosen based on student feedback to add more housing in the heart of campus. Residents were aware that construction would continue within some areas, including in a food hall concept that has now welcomed several local business owners to operate establishments on campus. Several new dining options are now open, including Purple Pie, Barberitos and Kazoku, a traditional hibachi restaurant that opened exclusively to Panther Commons residents at the beginning of October. Purple Polish Nail Salon and The Barber Shop are also open and serving students.

 

“There are multiple housing options for students to choose from in Panther Commons, and having quick access to the resources in this facility, as well as proximity to Qubein Arena, are some of the many reasons students choose to live there.

 

The construction industry is still recovering from logistics issues and labor shortages that began during the pandemic. The university is diligently working with contractors to complete all the construction projects as quickly as possible. Opening soon in Panther Commons are a recreational spin room and a third-floor study lounge. Additional parking is underway and expected to be complete by March. A new outdoor gathering area with a pool is also under construction.” 

 

The building is now estimated to be completed sometime early next year in 2024.