The residence hall opened for occupancy this semester and houses student-athletes from men’s basketball, women’s basketball and women’s lacrosse, as well as other UofL students. Named for the Cardinals’ former Hall of Fame men’s basketball coach, the facility is located directly across Floyd Street from the Planet Fitness Kueber Center, the training home of the three sports housed in the new residence hall.
Ěý
“Denny Crum Hall represents a first-in-class residence hall,” said UofL Director of Athletics Josh Heird.Ěý“I would argue no other university has put as much energy and attention into an on-campus residence hall as the University of Louisville. … When you have something named in your honor, it tends to commemorate the years of service you’ve dedicated toward something bigger than yourself. And while I’m not sure we could have built a building big enough or nice enough to show our gratitude for all that Denny has given to the UofL community, we tried. Each day, Coach Crum had the opportunity and unique ability to impact lives, help families, serve as a compass to navigate difficult situations, and provide encouragement and advice for those seeking his counsel and expertise.”
Ěý
The $23.5 million project is a partnership among UofL Athletics, UofL Campus Housing and a third-party developer consisting of Buffalo Construction Inc. and Investment Property Advisors, who also developed Cardinal Towne, another campus housing project. L&N Federal Credit Union has provided a $2.25 million gift to the Cardinal Athletic Fund to promote the legacy of UofL Athletics through naming the facility in Crum’s honor.
Ěý
The five-story, 67-unit facility includes 128 beds, of which UofL Athletics will guarantee occupancy for 63 to remain within the NCAA requirement of no more than 50% of the beds being occupied by student-athletes. UofL Athletics will also guarantee an additional 10 beds to be used by team managers and graduate assistants.Ěý
Ěý
The residence hall will also serve as a Living Learning Community (LLC) to bolster its sports administration program and others that involve athletic excellence from a business and operations standpoint. With the LLC including many athletes in action, it offers unparalleled opportunities for athletes and students to work together to innovate in the field of sports.
Ěý
“We know what Coach Crum means to the university athletics program and what he means to the university basketball, but he also means so much to us at UofL,” said Louisville Interim President Dr. Lori Gonzalez. “Every Cardinal fan is familiar with all of his accolades – national championships, Final Four appearances and induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. But he’s much more than those awards and accomplishments that happened on the hardwood. He’s also a husband, a father, a mentor and a role model.
Ěý
“… For many years and to many people, Denny Crum has been the face of the University of Louisville, and we couldn’t be more proud of that fact.”
Ěý
Each apartment features a full kitchen with cabinets, island, solid surface counters, refrigerator, kitchen sink, cooking range, dishwasher, and microwave. Additional features include a single stack-style washer and dryer in each apartment, furnished common living space, and access to a private bedroom, restroom and closet for every occupant.
Ěý
Shared amenities on the first floor include:
Ěý
• A common kitchen and dining area adjacent to the lobby
• A common area in the lobby with a 164-inch video wall capable of showing up to four screens
• Another media lounge with a 198-inch video wall capable of showing two screens
• A study lounge with a private tutoring area
• A gaming wing with billiards, Pop-A-Shot, arcade games and other games
Ěý
Each floor of the residence hall includes multi-purpose rooms, including a Muhammad Ali-themed space on the second floor, as well as an outdoor patio deck on the fifth level. There’s also an outdoor deck attached to the Ali room that wraps around with a great view of the Kueber Center and Cardinal Stadium.
Ěý
Those on hand for Thursday’s dedication included the facility’s namesake Crum, who served as UofL’s men’s basketball coach for 30 years (1971-2001), retiring following the 2000-01 season.Ěý He directed Louisville to the 1980 and the 1986 NCAA Championships, ranking him as one of only 14 coaches in NCAA history to win two or more titles. Six times he guided the Cardinals into the NCAA Final Four, including four times in the decade of the ’80s. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on May 9, 1994.
Ěý
After his retirement, Crum continued to work as a special assistant to the UofL president for several years. The KFC Yum! Center court has been named in his honor. Since 2001, The Denny Crum Scholarship Foundation and the Denny Crum Scholarship Fund at UofL have awarded over a million dollars benefiting over 425 students. The San Fernando, Calif., native made Louisville his home and has lent countless hours of his time for charitable causes throughout the community for the past 50 years.Ěý
Ěý
Two members of Crum’s first national championship team in 1980, Darrell Griffith and Roger Burkman, spoke Thursday to the wide-reaching impact of their former coach.
Ěý
“The most important thing is what Coach has meant to his former players, and that’s evident with all of the former players that are here now,” Griffith said. “Coach is the University of Louisville. He’s the marquee trademark of our brand.”
Ěý
“He’s been there for all of us, for this university and for this community,” Burkman said. “He’s that humble guy that you would never know is a legendary superstar of a college basketball coach. He’s always been, without a blemish, a great mentor and role model for all of us. He’s had such a positive impact on everybody’s life that he’s touched, especially mine.”

Those were some of the words used August 14 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the grand opening of the Belknap Academic Building. The 165,000-square-foot building addresses a longtime need for more and better classroom space.

“UofL had the most critical shortage of classroom space of all Kentucky public schools. This building changes all of that,” said UofL President .

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, who took part in the celebration, called the facility an “incredible resource” that will change people’s lives.

“This is the embodiment of what spending money on post-secondary education is all about,” Bevin said. “This building is how we connect young people with the skills they have to impart and to empower them and arm them with what they need in the real world.”

The four-story, $80 million facility, located along South Brook Street between the Shumaker Research Building and Lutz Hall, contains more than 50 classrooms, laboratories, seminar rooms and group study areas. It also includes common areas where students can interact with their classmates.

Additionally, the building houses the university’s , where students receive services that will help them to thrive in the classroom and beyond.

“These services are essential to student success and they belong in the same building,” said Interim Provost Beth Boehm. “We are trying to provide constant, intensive support for our students. Our goal is for them not just to succeed, but to excel.”

The ceremony, which was held less than 48 hours before freshman move-in day, represents a new beginning, said Student Government Association President .

“I think I speak for the entire Cardinal family when I say this building couldn’t come at a better time, when we’re starting fresh and refocusing on our mission,” Fuller said.

Construction of the academic building began two years ago on the site where the legendary Crawford Gym once stood. In a nod to the past, the first-floor benches in the new building are made of wood recycled from the Crawford Gym floor.

The new building primarily will serve undergraduate students, particularly those taking courses in the College of Arts and Sciences. It has labs dedicated to anthropology, biology, chemistry and physics.

The building’s technology-rich spaces are designed to foster innovative and active learning methods proven to promote student engagement. Services offered in the facility make it a one-stop academic shop for UofL students.

“Our hope is this building sends a powerful signal to the world that UofL will continue to thrive and excel as an academic institution,” Bendapudi said.

Photos from today’s ceremony and building tours are . Below are some highlights from the ribbon-cutting ceremony:Ěý