Iona College is entering into the next steps of a process to expand the available housing for next year with the approval of Walsh Residence Hall.

The proposed three story modular complex was approved by the Department of Development’s planning board recently at a hearing taking place in the New Rochelle City Hall Annex.

With the green light from the city, Iona is able to start the initial phases of the actual build which is scheduled for completion in the coming Fall 2012 semester.

Administrators and students alike are excited about the new residence hall that will take the place of the current Walsh Hall building, former home of the Psychology Department. Walsh will be knocked down so a foundation can be placed sometime this May according to a press release by Iona from College President Joseph E. Nyre.

Nyre was quoted as saying, “This favorable outcome is a reflection of the benefits of active community planning and improving relationships with the city and community.”

Nyre also said in an interview after 2012 Spring Convocation that the Walsh Residence Hall will allow for 115 additional residential spaces on campus in order to expand the school’s options for available housing.

Renovating Walsh is part of a three phase solution so that the school is not necessarily able to bring more students onto campus but will give the current students better housing until a more long term solution is devised.

Once another housing option becomes available, the rooms in the new Walsh building will be converted back into classroom spaces.

The Office of Residential Life may be the most affected by the addition of the Walsh Residence Hall approval. The housing selection process is beginning for the 2012-2013 academic year and many students are attempting to figure out their living situations throughout the month of March.

Assistant Director of Residential Life Michael Labella said, “It’s an exciting time at Iona and I think it’s not only going to improve the quality and options we provide for our students, but it’s a good sign of our growing relationship that we have with the city of New Rochelle.”

Although the exact next steps are still unknown, Vice Provost of Residential Life Derek Zuckerman was able to shed some light on where the school goes from here.

“The team here at Iona, the architects and Rich Murray and the facilities staff are working together to go through the process of finalizing the plans and making sure that everything is set to move forward,” he said.

Although the Walsh Residence Hall has been able to make it past the hurdle that the last proposed residence hall was not, it is still a long way from being built.

The old Walsh Hall is still standing.

The Psychology Department, which has given up its home in Walsh for the renovated space in the bottom floor of Doorley, is feeling the impact of this move to grow the college community.

Psychology Department Chair Paul Greene said that he did not know how long his department had been in Walsh, but it was the home for Psychology when he began working at the school in 1979.

“We had some good times there,” Greene said. He continued saying that these kinds of transitions are always difficult, but the school made it as easy as they could.

There are still many things left to be sorted out with the building, but the student population seems to be pleased with the plan over all.

One of the resident assistants set to work in the new building next year is junior Michelle Rosenbrock.

Rosenbrock said, “It will be exciting and interesting to see the way having a residence hall so central on campus will change the dynamics of Iona.”

She went on to say that, despite the potential for many struggles that could be faced in the next year, she is confident that there will also be many new advantages.

Junior P.J. Kokias, who will be a senior when he takes his position as RA in the new building, said, “It’s going to be exciting to be right in the middle of campus and to be the start of something new.”

Working alongside Rosenbrock and Kokias will be a third Resident Assistant Maria Pelosi and Campus Minister Jennifer Pietrofere.

“I’m extremely excited to take on the challenge of helping to build a safe and spiritual community,” said Pietrofere.

Both the Residential Life staff and Campus Ministries are looking forward to the new opportunities of Walsh Hall.