UW-Eau Claire students have the opportunity to experience a new beginning in terms of housing as they move back onto campus.

Aspenson Mogensen Hall, located at 222 Water St., is filling up with students looking for housing that parallels Haymarket Landing, located in downtown Eau Claire, and Chancellors Hall on Upper Campus. The hall can hold about 200 students.

Kimera Way, the Executive Director of Blugold Real Estate Foundation, said the hall gives the option for apartment-style living students have been asking for.

“There was a housing demand study done years ago where students said they were really interested in apartment-style living closer to campus,” said Way. “We offer mostly traditional housing, and this is in response to students’ demand.”

Due to the current renovation of Towers South, around 600 students had to find alternative housing, Way said. The opening of Aspenson Mogensen Hall helps to ease the housing shortage.

“Working with the Mogensens, we had an opportunity to partner with them and purchase the housing component of the building,” Way said.

Jacob Merkle, a resident assistant on the fourth floor of Mogensen Hall, is assigned 64 co-ed residents on his floor along with his roommate Konrad Plomedahl, whom he shares RA responsibilities with.

“I wanted to be off campus, and this was a good intermediate step between the dorms and off-campus living,” Merkle said. “I don’t have to pay rent, and it’s brand new . . . This is an opportunity for upperclassmen to have nice living.”

Lindsey Deans, a senior communications and science disorders student, moved into the hall in search of independent living.

“I wanted to be off campus,” Deans said, “and since I am a CSD major, it’s only a five-minute walk from my door to class.”

Mogensen Hall is a four-level building with the top three floors reserved for student living and the first floor for retail space.

These open-concept apartments, ranging from one room to four rooms, contain both a washer and dryer within each unit. Larger apartments with more tenants can hold up to two and a half bathrooms, similar to Haymarket Landing.

Underground parking is available to students through a lottery system. The university’s Water Street parking spots are available to tenants in the lottery draw, according to the University’s Housing and Residential Life website.

Haymarket Landing opened in fall 2016 and has six floors. Like Mogensen Hall, the first floor is host to retail spaces, while students live in the top five floors. Haymarket Landing is home to about 400 students.