New day, new digs
Mesa Court Towers offers fresh look in freshman dorms
“It’s nice,” says Tiffany Cha, biological sciences major from Fresno.
“It’s really nice,” says D.J. Vaughan, an education major from Riverside.
“It’s amazing,” declares Matthew Gavilanes, a biological sciences major from Reseda. “It’s super-different than the old part of Mesa Court where we stayed during orientation. It has more of an industrial, apartment feel.”
Great reviews from freshmen on the first day of move-in to the six-floor Mesa Court Towers – University of California Irvine’s first high-rise dorms.
After rattling wheeled moving bins and suitcases across the cobbled walkways all morning students fortified themselves with double lattes from Taza and sported tired grins. They were even excited about sharing their 250-square-foot rooms with three other roommates.
“I’m used to sharing a room at home,” Cha says. “It’s fine.”
“I shared a room with my older brother,” adds Gavilanes. “That’s good training for this.”
- Kayte Long peruses the high-rise views from Mesa Court Towers, which include the newly painted anteater mascot on the water tank and the athletic fields. Steve Zylius / UCI
Here’s a look at Mesa Court Towers, by the numbers:
250,972: Total square footage
113,573: Square feet of residential rooms
19,975: Square feet of dining area
18,500: Cubic yards of concrete poured during construction
3,253: Square feet of study space, including computer lounge, quiet-study and small-group study rooms
2,906: Square feet of fitness space
1,938: Square feet of recreation area
935: Number of student beds
269: Number of student rooms
250: Square footage of average dorm room
152: Quadruple rooms
149: Bathrooms
102: Triple rooms
86: Feet in height of tallest building
28: Months from awarding of contract to completion
15: Private bathrooms
9: Laundry rooms
9: Communal kitchens
9: Great rooms
3: Double rooms
1: New bridge connecting Mesa Court to the UCI Student Center