November 6, 2009
University Residences creates new housing master plan
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University Residences has developed a new housing master plan to guide the next 20 to 30 years of development on campus.
University Residences' previous plan led to the renovations of Cary Quadrangle and Windsor Halls as well as consolidation of dining services. To create a new plan, University Residences turned to Sasaki Associates of Watertown, Mass., the consultant used for the University's campus master plan.
"With the investments we have made to date, including the addition of First Street Towers, 58 percent of our inventory has been significantly improved or added new," says John Sautter, vice president for housing and food services. "We now need a comprehensive, long-term strategy for dealing with the next group of aging structures. We also recognized the importance of integrating this work with the University's long-range plan for the entire campus."
The Sasaki study revealed four key findings to address with the new plan:
* Existing campus housing is concentrated toward the western edge of campus.
* Existing housing is not geographically integrated with the campus academic and research buildings.
* Existing housing needs upgrades to remain competitive in the market.
* Existing housing offers few options if upperclass students want to stay on campus.
The housing master plan presents recommendations for these challenges as well as incorporates two of the major principles of the campus master plan: establishing State Street as a collaborative center and creating program synergies through strong mixed-use districts.
"Within the overall campus master plan, University Residences are a significant component in surrounding Purdue's daytime life with active, round-the-clock student life," Sautter says. "The campus plan proposes the creation of several major new residential districts along with enhancements to existing districts. These districts are envisioned as mixed-use anchors for each of the campus's four quadrants."
The quadrants are the academic core in the northeast, the academic campus in the southeast, Discovery Park and Purdue Village in the southwest and the residential and recreational zone in the northwest.
The new plan recommends establishing a major new residential zone in the southeast bordered by Wood, Marsteller, Harrison and Grant streets.
"Hawkins Residence Hall is the only residential facility in this area, and although it is close to academic and research areas, from a community perspective it lacks a sense of belonging to a residential neighborhood," Sautter says. "The addition of a new mixed-use center with a residential facilities, dining court and recreational open space would not only create a sense of community but would also offer options for the many students and staff who live and work in the area as well."
To add housing in the northeast, the plan proposes building graduate housing in the Hayes Triangle, which is on the east side of Northwestern Avenue adjacent to the northeast academic campus.
Proposals for Purdue Village in the southwest would help realize the goal of turning State Street into a collaborative center. New housing could be created along the south side of State between McCutcheon and MacArthur drives to reinforce activity along the corridor. The buildings would offer another mix of residential, retail and communal spaces, and Squirrel Park would be preserved as recreational space.
Another mixed-use area is proposed at Vawter Field. Lying between Third Street and Wiley Dining Court, the area is close to dining and recreational facilities, which will soon undergo a major renovation.
Proposed renovations
In addition to new construction, the new housing master plan identifies strategies for the renovation of existing housing to meet future needs. These include the renovation of seven existing H-buildings: Tarkington, Owen, Wiley, McCutcheon, Harrison, Earhart and Shreve halls.
"These buildings are well-maintained, work effectively to build community and are well-supported by dining facilities and recreational needs, but they show signs of aging one would expect with older facilities," Sautter says. "The plan outlines several potential strategies for enhancing these buildings, including upgrading infrastructure, renovating bathrooms to allow for more privacy, and remodeling corner doubles into suites."
At Hilltop Apartments, one strategy focuses on renovation -- replacing interior finishes and fenestration, and upgrading mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems. Another possibility focuses on densification. As part of this alternate plan, buildings would be phased out, a four-story apartment building with a ground community center would be added, and new terraces would step down to Tower Drive to provide a connection to the residential areas.
"A major point for the housing master plan is financial realism," Sautter says. "Significant capital investment will be necessary for each of the potential intervention strategies. Implementation strategies reflect this requirement, and several projects have been presented in phases, which is an approach that has proved extremely successful in the past. This plan is a road map that can keep University Residences moving forward and ensures that we can fulfill our mission."
Next steps
The housing master plan will now serve as guide for future proposals that will be presented to the Board of Trustees for approval.
Sautter sees three steps coming in the near future: adding a third building to First Street Towers, continuing the renovation work in Windsor Halls and looking for potential developer partnerships for projects outlined in the plan.
Sautter will bring a request to the Board of Trustees in December to finance and construct the third tower. The first two towers are fully occupied and further demand exists, he says.
"When we started planning this facility five years ago, we knew we needed a unique offering for upperclassmen -- a facility that would provide private rooms and baths but still offer a sense of community," Sautter says. "Just as students living off campus would move someplace nicer from their sophomore to their junior and senior years, students who would like to stay on campus are looking for move-up options with more space and more privacy. These options became available with the addition of Hillenbrand Hall, renovations to Cary Quadrangle, and now the opening of First Street Towers. We strive to offer more with the third tower and upgrades in existing facilities."
In Windsor, the third of five buildings is undergoing renovation, and the fourth is expected to be bid this spring. Sautter says the first two halls, now air-conditioned with upgraded infrastructure, are extremely popular among students.
University Residences will explore developer partnerships for three development areas: the southeast community, Hayes Triangle and Purdue Village area along State Street. Sautter says one source of information on these partnerships will be Purdue's Fort Wayne campus, which works with a development company for management of student housing.
"Purdue enjoys one of the nation's most successful campus housing programs," Sautter says.
"It is successful in the financial sense as our facilities are fully occupied, maintained to a high standard and self-supporting; in the customer sense with students who are satisfied with their choice and retained at a high level; and from an educational sense with students who achieve a higher level of success in the classroom aided by programs. Our new master plan will help us to continue on this path of excellence."
CAPTION: Students gather in one of the living rooms at First Street Towers. In the new facility, students can enjoy a community atmosphere while also having their own personal space with private room and bath. Plans to allow for more common space and privacy in new and existing residential facilities are proposed in University Residences’ new master plan (photo by Andrew Hancock).