Niner Nest gives Charlotte campus a new place to rest and reset

By Wyatt Crosher, Assistant Director of Communications for Student Affairs

Tired of flapping your wings? Need somewhere to land and rest up? The Popp Martin Student Union is opening a new area that UNC Charlotte students, faculty and staff can utilize to do just that.

The Niner Nest, located in PMSU 280 near Hoppa Room 200, is intended to be a quiet and restorative space for the entire campus community. The room features comfortable furniture and checkout lockers that include items like noise-cancelling headphones, puzzles and weighted pillows, all set to a calming color palette.

The Niner Nest furniture, warm lighting and view of the Cauble Quad

View of the Niner Nest's seating, lockers of items and warm lighting

The name “Niner Nest” is a nod to the University’s first mascot, the Night Owls, as well as a reference to the beloved geese that roam on campus. The space also connects to the nest’s role as a home base and safe haven in nature.

“Our goal of the Niner Nest is that when you enter the space your shoulders drop, your jaw unclenches and you can take some time to reset,” Morgan Meehan, Student Centers director, said.

The idea for the Niner Nest came from a student feedback survey on spaces and services they would like to see in the Student Centers facilities. In a Spring 2025 survey sent to students, 72 percent of responders said they would utilize a quiet or meditation lounge, which made it a primary focus for the Student Centers Advisory Board.

Project manager Lisa Sain, from the planning, design and construction team in Facilities Management and the architect team from McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture were all instrumental in the creation of the Niner Nest. The members of the 2025-26 advisory board also had a significant impact in providing feedback to the architects and Student Centers leadership on the direction of the space, how it should feel, what should be incorporated and the guidelines of the space.

The Niner Nest is open any time the Student Union is open, and is available to all active Charlotte students, faculty and staff. Those interested are required to tap their University ID to access the space. It is meant solely as a relaxing and quiet space, allowing it to be a unique nook for the building.

“We encourage everyone to respect the purpose of this space. It is designed for a specific experience and is not intended for meetings, group hangs, phone calls or napping,” Meehan said. “By honoring the purpose and guidelines of this space, we can ensure it remains valuable for the entire community.”