BERKELEY, Calif. (KGO) -- UC Berkeley is getting ready to unveil a brand new 14-story student housing building that many are saying resembles a luxury hotel more than a dorm. And with good reason, ABC7 News got a sneak peek at the first donor-funded housing built at Cal in almost 80 years.
The tall sleek black tower on Oxford Street is ready to welcome residents -- only transfer students who won a lottery for a coveted spot in this swanky new structure across from Cal's main entrance. On August 21, 772 students will be moving in. On a preview tour, luxury is evident at every turn.
In the dorm rooms, there are sleek kitchens with expansive views of the Golden Gate and beyond. MORE: Bay Area embracing ADUs amid housing crisis - are they worth the investment? There's a state-of-the-art academic kitchen and classroom space along with a light-filled courtyard with soaring walls of greenery and a terrace with comfy couches looking out on the campanile and campus. Who wouldn't want to study here? And there are lockers for Cal's first commuter lounge where students will have a dedicated space to study after getting to campus by bus or BART.
It's called Anchor House - an anchor for incoming transfer students. "This entire building is a gift from a very generous donor who was inspired to provide housing for transfer students," UC Berkeley spokesperson Kyle Gibson said, "Transfer students overwhelmingly come to Berkeley from California community colleges - 95% of them. They're older, us.