Preliminary plans for a $124 million replacement for Tutwiler Residential Hall were approved on Friday by The University of Alabama System Board of Trustees.

The building is scheduled to open in 2020, with the demolition of the 
current Tutwiler Hall to follow.

The new building, to be located near the current site, would be 520,521 square feet. With a capacity of around 1,583 students, it would be able to house nearly 600 more students than the current one.

Similar to the current building, the new residence hall will have double occupancy rooms with community bathrooms, lounges, study areas, seven elevators, a Julia’s Market and a multipurpose space that can serve as a storm shelter for 1,742 people, according to Tuscaloosa News.

UA President Stuart Bell said this new hall will help meet the demand for housing on the south side of campus. The all-girl dormitory is often requested due to its proximity to the houses of sororities of which many Tutwiler residents are members.

The University has plans in place to create a parking deck for this new dorm, as well as to build a new dorm near Lakeside Dining.