Construction
David Russell Hall was redeveloped in several phases, beginning with the opening of new apartment blocks to the north-east of the site in 2003. The existing buildings of the hall were gradually demolished, beginning in the summer of 2003 and all but three of the blocks were razed, making way for the new residential blocks. The current redevelopment was completed in September 2006, and has been rebranded as David Russell Apartments.
The first four houses of DRA (named Scott, Lindsay, Forbes and Haig) were completed in time for the University's Martinmas semester of 2003-2004 and are situated to the immediate east of the original DRH boundary. Up until February 2004 students continued to live in the original DRH houses and shared a central facilities building called the Strachan Suite with the four new DRA houses. In 2004, all remaining residents in DRH were transferred to other student halls in St Andrews and the remaining three blocks were razed to the ground.
Building immediately commenced on the second phase which comprised Tulloch, Shairp, Herkless, Nisbet and Lang houses, followed by Haldane, Fraser and Donaldson and the new central facilities block, and was completed in time for the start of the 2005-2006 academic year. The final phase (for the time being), consisted of the construction of Eden, Dover and Hamilton houses, and was handed over from the builders in September 2006. However, cosmetic work around the site still takes place.
The majority of the names given to each of the new apartment blocks are the same as those used for the original David Russell houses. Although the University rebranded David Russell Hall as David Russell Apartments, the old name continues to be widely used, for example on service buses, maps, public signage and even at the entrance to the David Russell complex itself. On 23 February 2007, Chancellor Gordon Brown formally opened the £34.7m David Russell Apartments. The hall was praised for its state-of-the-art environmentally friendly features.
Read more about this topic: David Russell Apartments, History
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