Lehigh University reaches a key milestone in the development of East Hill Residence Halls this week as the Site Preparation phase of the project begins on Thursday, October 8.
What to Expect During Site Preparation
A great deal of planning has gone into reaching this point – from submitting plans to the city of Bethlehem and performing geotechnical testing on the site to inviting students to try out potential seating options for the future halls’ common areas.
At the beginning of the fall 2026 semester, parking was removed along University Drive and Dravo Drive in the vicinity of the planned construction. During the Site Preparation phase, the campus community will start to see and hear more regular activity at the construction site on University Drive. These activities, and their estimated start dates, include:
- Thursday, October 8: Installation of site fence
- Monday, October 12: Surrounding roads closed to non-emergency vehicular traffic
- Friday, October 16: Ceremonial groundbreaking
- Week of October 19: Tree removal begins
- Later this fall: Excavation and grading of the site
Work crews will work a regular schedule of Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 3:30PM, with louder activities starting no earlier than 7:30 AM.
Traffic and Pedestrian Impacts
For the protection of the Lehigh community, there will be several changes to non-emergency vehicular and pedestrian access of the area during the entire construction period. The map above shows street and staircase closures. Please plan your campus travels accordingly.
About Tree Removal and Restoration
The university’s consulting arborist conducted a thorough tree inventory of the project site. While it is a goal to preserve existing trees on campus, this inventory found that nearly all trees on the site are non-native species. In addition, many are of poor quality or reaching the end of their expected lifespan.
Based on this information the existing trees and vegetation within the construction area on the site will all be removed. Many perimeter trees will be retained. Several quality trees that are removed from the site will be saved for their wood to be used to create site-specific furniture.
As part of the project, Lehigh will replace the felled trees with native species in a greater than one for one ratio. Additional native vegetation and shrubbery plantings will result in an ecological restoration of the area.
Stay Informed
From enhanced pedestrian walkways and ecological restoration to new outdoor spaces for the university community to enjoy, there is much to look forward to. The project team will share the journey with the Lehigh community.
Throughout the course of construction, updates will be provided at key milestones as well as timely notice of any impacts the community will need to know about.
In addition, the project website will be updated regularly with more information about the project’s sustainability goals, a timeline of major construction phases and more.