The Weitz Company Helps Implode KU Residence Hall Past, Builds Future

On Nov. 25, McCollum Residence Hall on the University of Kansas campus went down like a ton of bricks, quite literally. In just seconds, about 750 pounds of explosives detonated the 10-story, three-wing, 220,000-square-foot residence hall.

As design-builder for the renovations, The Weitz Company helped to plan the implosion, and also served as construction manager for the university’s two new residence halls, named after three top KU donors — Charles W. Oswald (south building) and Madison A. and Lila M. Self (north building).

Located in Lawrence, Kansas, McCollum Residence Hall first opened in spring semester 1965. The facility had an original capacity for 910 co-eds. The land will now become a surface parking lot.

The new residence halls — opened in August 2015 — each house up to 350 students and feature a variety of suites and spaces on each floor for collaboration and studying. An academic service center and a community kitchen are located within the Daisy Hill Commons, which connect the two halls and provide gathering spaces for all Daisy Hill residence hall students to socialize and study.

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