Goldey-Beacom College in Pike Creek broke ground April 24 on a long-planned $30 million “campus enhancement” project that includes the new William A. Franta Hall.

Goldey-Beacom College in Pike Creek broke ground April 24 on a long-planned $30 million “campus enhancement” project that includes the new William A. Franta Hall.

The new five-story residence hall will feature single and double dormitory-style rooms, study rooms and lounges on each floor, a security office on the first floor and many more amenities for students, according to a Goldey-Beacom press release.

The building is named after former Goley-Beacom Board of Trustees Chairman William A. Franta, whose family bequested $2 million for the project.

Additional campus expansion and renovations include new dining services, a campus store and a redesigned student lounge in the Joseph West Jones Center.

The Athletic Department, housed in the Jones Center, is also scheduled for “major renovations,” the release states, resulting in a larger fitness center, additional locker rooms and an expanded training space for the College’s 13 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II athletics teams.

During the groundbreaking ceremony, Goldey-Beacom President Gary L. Wirt said the project had been talked about for several years, and that trends have shown a sharp 30 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment since 2015.

“While it was necessary to construct a new residence hall, it was just as important to plan for expanded services and amenities to best serve our students,” Wirt said.

Goldey-Beacom officials also anticipate ongoing annual growth, with the addition of the new hall, combined with the existing four residence halls, enabling the college to house nearly 500 students on campus, the release states.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mark Olazagasti said he was “ecstatic” over the growth in student population and the construction of the new hall.

“It is important to me as a former student to make sure we provide each resident a comfortable, state-of-the-art living facility in a safe and secure environment,” Olazagasti said.

Construction is being led by Wilmington-based EDiS Company. Completion of the project is expected to take between two to three years.