UMass-Lowell yesterday celebrated the opening of University Suites, the school’s new $54 million residence hall.

The 148,000-square-foot, five-story building, located at 327 Aiken St., houses 472 students. It has 88 four- and six-bed suites with living rooms, bedrooms, kitchenettes and bathrooms. Building features include eight common lounge areas with flat-screen TVs, couches and full kitchens; Wi-Fi and other technology throughout the building; and the Hawk’s Nest Café, which is open to students and the public, and serves grab-and-go meals during the day and Asian-fusion cuisine in the evening, along with Red Mango frozen yogurt and Starbuck’s coffee.

The building is one of two brand-new suite-style residence halls  that has opened for UMass Lowell students in the past month. University Suites and Riverview Suites together provide housing for nearly 1,000 of approximately 4,000 residential UMass Lowell students.