With the turn of a shovel, history was made today at Calumet College of St. Joseph. President Amy McCormack led the team clad in hard hats to break ground for the College’s first on campus residence hall. Cheers could be heard from students, faculty and staff as the shovels turned over the earth.

“Seventy years ago, Saint Joseph College-Calumet Campus (now CCSJ) started classes in the area serving traditional and adult students. Nearly fifty years ago, CCSJ became independent and began expanding programs and degrees to serve the Calumet Region. Twenty years ago, CCSJ started athletics. These were transformational times for the college. We embark on another transformational time as we add on-campus housing to meet the needs of students that want a residential experience. We are grateful for the collaborative efforts with the Hammond Redevelopment Commission and the City of Hammond to make a project long in the planning finally come to fruition,” said McCormack.

“The City of Hammond is excited to partner with Calumet College of St. Joseph in their visionary campus project that will solidify them as a Hammond institution of higher learning for years to come,” said City of Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott. “Cal College continues to be an important part of the fabric of our community and a strong Cal College means a stronger Hammond.”

The $4.8 million project will consist of a 3-story residence hall with a square footage of 16,500 and feature 20 beds per floor and three resident assistant suites. Rooms will be traditional dorm-style living units. Student lounge space will be integrated in the first and second floors. The building has been designed to fit within the context of the existing architecture and building styles at CCSJ.

“UHS is extremely honored and excited to be a part of this historic project for Calumet College of St. Joseph,” said Jim Schmidt, President of University Housing Solutions. With the addition of its first on-campus residential development, the university is making a significant investment into its students, faculty, and the surrounding community by providing them with new spaces to come together to learn and grow – both academically and spiritually.”

1st District Councilman Mark Kalwinski – an alum of CCSJ, Rev. Tim McFarland, C.PP.S. of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood who sponsor the College, and Larry Meyers, Chair of the CCSJ Board of Trustees also spoke at the event.

The facility is scheduled to open in August of 2022. Housing has long been noted as a need by students and the residence hall will have a profound impact on campus culture.