August Marks Shift in Housing Practices for ISU
By: Jacob Long, WMBD/WYZZ-TV
Updated: July 25, 2012
NORMAL - The decommissioning of five buildings at Illinois State University marks a shift in how it provides student housing.
The university is backing away from traditional residence halls, like Hamilton, Whitten, Atkin and Colby Halls, which are coming offline in August with the Feeney Dining Center.
Instead, expect future developments to mirror the newly completed Cardinal Court complex off W. Gregory St. in Normal.
The $60 million complex is made up of four-story apartment buildings for about 900 ISU sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Each apartment has a kitchen and bedrooms. There's also an on site community center, parking lot and green space.
University Spokesman Jay Groves said facilities like the new Cardinal Court are more in touch with what students want.
"We will probably not any longer build traditional residence style homes. They're too expensive. Students are starting to want different things," he said.
There's also a financial benefit to the state.
ISU partnered with a private company for the first time to rehab the site, but it did not pay for it and now it leases the land.
The university gets a management fee to run the property like other residence halls.
A dedication ceremony is set for August 9 at 10 a.m.
The university is backing away from traditional residence halls, like Hamilton, Whitten, Atkin and Colby Halls, which are coming offline in August with the Feeney Dining Center.
Instead, expect future developments to mirror the newly completed Cardinal Court complex off W. Gregory St. in Normal.
The $60 million complex is made up of four-story apartment buildings for about 900 ISU sophomores, juniors and seniors.
Each apartment has a kitchen and bedrooms. There's also an on site community center, parking lot and green space.
University Spokesman Jay Groves said facilities like the new Cardinal Court are more in touch with what students want.
"We will probably not any longer build traditional residence style homes. They're too expensive. Students are starting to want different things," he said.
There's also a financial benefit to the state.
ISU partnered with a private company for the first time to rehab the site, but it did not pay for it and now it leases the land.
The university gets a management fee to run the property like other residence halls.
A dedication ceremony is set for August 9 at 10 a.m.
