After months of construction, the parking lot behind Waynesburg University’s East Hall is now finished, but even more so than that, a new dorm building is coming as well. 

“We listen to the students, and we try to engage with them as much as we can,” Waynesburg University President Douglas G. Lee said. “We looked to improve the quality of campus for the benefit of our students, and that’s why we exist. Here’s an opportunity using gifts and donations to build a new dorm that doesn’t involve finances and doesn’t involve tuition dollars.”

Director of Planning and Facilities Management Timothy Lucas spoke on the building process of both the new dorm and the parking lot.

“The additional parking will be a huge impact to the area, as it will allow students to now have off-street parking,” Lucas said. “That will allow the Waynesburg community to use the available street parking more, which is what it is intended for. The new dorm will house 60 students, so this will allow for students to move into a completely new and up-to-date space in 2028.”

Construction started in early 2025, and the parking lot project took almost 11 months to complete, opening at the beginning of the 2026-2027 academic year. 

“That was a gift too, and it cost three million dollars just because of the earth that was necessary to move, the amount of cement that was involved, the work that was involved and getting that to happen,” Lee said. “We knew students talked about a new parking lot and there it is right in the middle of campus.”

Lucas also shared his thoughts on the amount of work that was needed to complete and start both projects. 

“These projects were very involved,” Lucas said. “The parking lot consisted of clearing out many trees and constructing the parking lot. The new dorm consisted of demolition of the old dorm, Ray Hall. That was a large project itself. We are now at the phase of beginning underground utilities and completing the concrete foundation.”

According to Lee, the parking lot will be paved in the spring.