Stockton University celebrated another milestone in its expansion in Atlantic City May 3 as President Harvey Kesselman officially cut the ribbon on a new student residence hall in the city’s University District.
“I want you to know how excited we are to finally step inside and tour this amazing new building,” Kesselman said. “Today represents another incredible milestone on this exciting journey.”
The 135,000-square-foot, six-story building located at the corner of Atlantic and South Providence avenues in the Chelsea Heights section is just a short walk from the rest of the campus, which opened in 2018.
In a ceremony shortly before the ribbon-cutting, Stockton’s first residence hall on the Boardwalk was renamed Kesselman Hall. Kesselman is retiring as Stockton’s fifth president on June 30.
The new Phase II complex features apartment- and suite-style living with a total of 416 beds.
“Today marks a significant milestone for our institution as we celebrate the opening of yet another state-of-the-art facility that will provide our students a safe, comfortable and welcoming home away from home,” Stockton Board of Trustees Chairman Raymond Ciccone said.
State Sen. Vincent Polistina echoed Greenwald’s comments and commended Kesselman for seeing the new building’s plans come to fruition.
“It’s important to remember that when Dr. Kesselman took this on, this was a risk. A lot of people said, ‘What are you doing going into Atlantic City?’” Polistina said. “But his foresight, his vision, his dedication, his perseverance led us to where we are today. When you look at the transformation of this part of Atlantic City, it’s unbelievable.”
Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, a 1998 Stockton graduate, said Wednesday was “another historic day for my alma mater.”
“Stockton is an important renaissance of the great city of Atlantic City,” he said. “It’s springing a rebirth city wide.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Kesselman was “humbled by the extraordinary gesture” on the part of Stockton trustees to officially unveil the new name of the first Atlantic City residence complex as Kesselman Hall.
“Today’s unveiling is not only a personal honor, but also a reflection of the strong partnership between Stockton and Atlantic City,” Kesselman said. “To have my name associated with both is the most beautiful tribute I could ever imagine.”
