Purdue News
Purdue News
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May 14, 2001 Part of Purdue Village area to become site of new research centerWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. Purdue University will begin converting part of the campus area now occupied by the Purdue Village, southeast of the corner of State Street and Airport Road, into a research complex beginning in June 2002. The northern portion of the Purdue Village, formerly known as Married Student Housing, includes 600 apartments in 38 buildings. The first construction phase will eliminate eight buildings, containing 126 apartments, north of Nimitz Drive and south of Marshall Drive. The next four phases will impact 14 buildings, containing 224 apartments. Phase one construction is expected to last until the fall of 2004. All occupants of the affected areas of Purdue Village are expected to be accommodated in the undisturbed portion of the complex. All Purdue Village residents will receive letters this week informing them of these changes. Residents in the impacted buildings will need to relocate before June 2002. About 15 Purdue employees will be affected by the changes, John A. Sautter, vice president for housing and food services, said. Sautter said his office will work with the university to ensure that any displaced staff members will maintain their employment with Purdue. "We have known for some time that we would need to look at renovating or replacing the Purdue Village area," said Sautter. "These buildings were built in the 1950s, and while they have been well maintained, their construction and design do not meet the demands of today's student customer. "Recognizing the value in keeping the new research facility close to campus, this is the site that has been identified as working best for the entire campus community." The university has not yet determined the full scope of the new research complex. The Indiana General Assembly's 2001-2002 budget included a $5 million allocation for construction of a Purdue nanotechnology research center, which is scheduled to be included in the complex. Nanotechnology focuses on building extremely small devices and systems atom by atom. It has a wide variety of potential applications in business, medical treatment, communications and other fields. The Purdue master construction plan, presented to the Purdue-West Lafayette Community Issues Study Committee in February, identified the Purdue Village area as needing major renovations or possible replacement starting as early as 2002. Sautter said taking care of students and staff members throughout this transition is the university's top priority. "We are doing everything we can to accommodate any of the Purdue Village staff members who will be affected by this project," Sautter said. "We have had many changes occurring in University Residences, including Cary Quad construction and adjustments related to our food services. Through all of these projects, we have found ways to keep our people, and we will continue to go out of our way to accommodate our staff." The impact on the Greater Lafayette community and the students, most of whom are married, is expected to be negligible, Sautter said. "On-campus housing renewals are declining, and we know that a large number of apartments near campus are vacant," Sautter said. "Purdue Village, because of its age, lacks the amenities and 'glitz' of new facilities. We are paying for an independent assessment of the local housing market to determine the exact impact of this change." The housing assessment also will help university officials determine whether it is necessary to build replacement housing on campus, he said. "We also anticipate that through attrition and graduation, the number of people wanting to live in the Purdue Village will continue to decline," he said. "For those who still want to live in the Village, married students and students with children probably will receive priority for the remaining apartments." Sautter said the university will do what it can to minimize the impact construction will have on the campus community. "Noise, dust and the overall inconvenience of construction can be annoying, but they are necessary to the success of a vital and growing campus," he said. University Residences has developed a comprehensive communication plan to keep residents and staff informed frequently about issues that affect them, he said. Source: John Sautter, (765) 494-1022, jasautter@purdue.edu Writer: Jenny Pratt, (765) 494-2079, jmpratt@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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