Campus housing changes expected summer 2017

The Board of Governors have approved a ten-year housing facilities master plan that calls for the construction of two apartment buildings and the removal of DeRoy Apartments.

Two new buildings are expected to open in Fall 2018 and Fall 2019, respectively. They will take the place of parking lot 41 along Anthony Wayne Drive, in front of parking structure 2.

Tim Michael, associate vice president for business and auxiliary operations and chief housing officer, said the unmet demand for campus housing and increasing admissions put the plan into motion.

“We need to increase capacity so more students can benefit from living on campus,” said Michael. ”If we do all the projects contemplated in the first five years of the plan, by Fall 2021 we will have increased our on campus capacity by approximately 700 beds to 3800.”

Michael said a request for building design proposals was just issued, and responses are due mid-March. From a short-list, prospective development partners will present their plans in the hopes of being selected for Phase One of the housing master plan.

Conceptual designs for the appearance of the buildings are dependent on the development partners, but certain expectations are in place for the buildings.

“We are building the housing types that students said they wanted in our December 2014 housing market demand study,” said Michael.

He said the two buildings are projected to be as tall as seven stories and similar in appearance.

“The plan is to build efficiency,” said Michael. “One and four bedroom apartments, all furnished, with laundry and public spaces on each floor and on the ground level. There will also be new retail on the first floors of both buildings.”

Construction on the first of the new buildings is set to begin early summer 2017.

“The goal will be to minimize disruption to the campus during construction as best we can, given the scope and location of the project,” said Michael.

DeRoy Apartments are scheduled for demolition in Summer 2019. Their absence will expand Keast Commons from Anthony Wayne Drive to Chatsworth Tower.

“There is no plan today to replace DeRoy with another building; that may change,” said Michael. “For now, we are assuming the building will be replaced with green space that will enlarge Keast Commons.”

Michael will present the official housing facilities plan to the Residence Hall Association on Tuesday, March 1 at 7:30 p.m. in the Towers Residential Suites Community Room.

Junior romance languages major and current DeRoy Apartments resident Ni’Esha Wright has enjoyed her living space, but she is not sad that it is being removed.

“It will be good to have new apartment buildings,” said Wright. “WSU does need more housing, seeing as how there has been an overflow of incoming freshman the past couple years.”

However, Wright said she does not like the location of the new buildings.

“I am not fond of them doing the construction in lot 41,” said Wright. “That lot and parking structure are the most convenient for the students, and it would make more sense to tear down the one next to it [Parking Structure 1].”

While Wright does not think these developments will necessarily make more people want to live on campus, she said they are necessary for students that need housing.

“I am one of those people that have to live on campus, and I actually like it,” said Wright. “It’s convenient, and the people who do not live on campus do miss out on a lot of the things that happen around campus.”

Wright will no longer be a student by the time the buildings are completed, but she is concerned about the construction she will have to experience.

“It will be difficult for the people who have to commute, and that lot [41] is one of the best ones for them. Traffic and parking will become a nightmare.” said Wright. “I just hope the transformation happens quickly.”

Bailey Shaver, a freshman film and English major, said these new developments make a lot of sense because overflow housing was only a temporary solution.

“I had personal friends who were stuck in Hotel St. Regis because there wasn’t enough space for students,” said Shaver. “It’s a shame they have to tear a building down, but if they’re allowing more room for residents, I guess that’s what’s important.

Shaver said the availability of more housing options may encourage and allow for more commuters to live on campus. As a resident of Towers Residential Suites, Shaver said on-campus living gives him advantages.

“It’s just easier [living on campus]. I can wake up in the morning and get anywhere. I don’t have to allow for that extra commute time,” said Shaver.

However, Shave hopes developers remain cognizant of the students when planning for construction.

“I hope that they are considerate of students' schedules,” said Shaver. “If you’re going to do construction, you’re going to have all this stuff going on. Don’t have it impede on students. Analyze times when students need to move around and need to get places, and balance it around that.”

Aside from the prospect of construction, Shaver said these developments are good things overall.

“There’s already a lot of construction in Detroit, so that might get in the way of some stuff with Woodward and everything,” said Shaver. “I guess we’ll just have to see and adjust.”

For more information, contact reporter and Features Editor Aleanna Siacon at aleannasiacon.tse@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter: @AleannaSiacon.