A "significant portion" of the $80-million development budget will be devoted to the construction of a Satellite Central Utility Building project in the dorm's basement, company principal Mike Alto tells GlobeSt.com. It will provide utility services to future buildings on campus, he says. "Most universities have a SCUB on campus that provides steam or chilled water, for instance. It is more energy efficient," he explains. This is not the College Park campus' first SCUBs, he adds.

The new dorm will be College Park's first since New Leonardtown opened in 1982. Its layout will consist of four-person units with double-occupancy bedrooms sharing a bathroom. Each floor will have two student lounges, two study rooms, a laundry room, a multipurpose room with outdoor patio, open lobby, and an interior bicycle storage. The SCUB will provide chilled water for the building, six existing high-rise dorms, two dining halls, and a future residential facilities office complex. Oakland Hall Dormitory will be designed to achieve LEED Silver certification. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer with delivery expected spring 2011.

WDG Architecture is the project architect and is leading the design team. Other project partners include Cagley & Assoc.; Site Resources; WFT Engineering; MEP engineer; and SD Keppler and Assoc.

Clark Design/Build is currently working on a dorm for George Washington University in the District located on F Street between 22nd and 23rd streets. The 10-story building is called Square 80.