The construction of a new 22,000-square-foot, two-story women’s residence hall has started on the Copiah-Lincoln Community College campus in Wesson.   

It’s been 45 years since Co-Lin has built a women’s dormitory.  This dorm — an honors residence hall — will be for female students who have an ACT score of 21 or higher and maintain a 3.0 grade point average.   

The building will have 28 double bedrooms (space for 56 students), an apartment for a residence hall supervisor, an elevator, a study area and laundry facilities.

The floor plan is similar to Bates Hall, the men’s residence hall that was built in 2012.

Dean of Students Brenda Smith said the dorm would have the additional benefit of more spacious private bathrooms. It’s centrally located on campus.

The dorm will be the fourth addition to the campus’ housing for women. It will replace an older dorm that will eventually be closed.   “Anytime you build a women’s dormitory, it helps in recruiting and space-wise,” Co-Lin Information Director Natalie Davis said.

“It will basically be the same size, same style dorm as Bates Hall,” Co-Lin President Ronnie Nettles said at a previous board meeting. “This one will be very similar in the way it looks and the layout — which is a very cost effective dormitory, compared to what you might spend at a university for 56 beds.”

Architecture South, P.A. is the architect for the $4.6 million project. Paul Jackson and Son, Inc. of Brookhaven is serving as the general contractor. The state Department of Finance and Administration is overseeing the project.  The dorm is scheduled for completion in spring 2018.

The Co-Lin Board of Trustees in May approved a resolution to sell special obligation bonds to finance the project.

“We borrowed 4.5 million over a 30-year period,” said Nettles. “We also have other funds coming from the state bond fund. All of this is overseen by the Bureau of Buildings and Grounds.”