"Rider is a residentially intensive university," says schoolpresident Mordechai Rozanski. "And as our community grows, we wantto respond to our students' desire to live on campus. As a result,we're committing our resources to this project, and I am eagerlyanticipating the opening of these new residence halls."

Designed by the Trenton-based Spiezle Architectural Group Inc.,West Village is also being built and will be operated withsustainability in mind, according to university officials. Oneaspect is that horses are being used to clear standing timber onthe development site, and the cleared timber will be recycled intothe buildings' construction.

"Instead of chipping them up and putting it in a landfill,they've got a contract with a sawmill," local councilwoman PamMount said at this week's groundbreaking event. "The finishedplanks will be returned and will be used in the construction of thebuildings."