Friday, April 20, 2001
Student apartments could help boost enrollment, the university president said.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- A $17.5 million, 400-bed student apartment complex planned for Youngstown State University is one step closer to reality.
The board of trustees' building and property committee authorized the administration Thursday to proceed with discussions for the project with Ambling Companies Inc. of Valdosta, Ga.
Ambling is one of four development companies that presented proposals Feb. 19 to partner with the university in developing student housing.
"This is not an award of that project to this developer," stressed Larry Esterly, committee chairman. The authorization to proceed with discussions is an attempt to draw on the expertise of the developer, to allow the developer to "come back with recommendations."
Those recommendations, he said, would be discussed at the next regular committee meeting in late May.
Site selection is among the items for which the committee seeks input. Sites under consideration include areas near the Wick Oval and the Cafaro House dormitories.
Filled to the brim: Demand for student housing has exceeded what is available with campus dormitories at capacity, even overbooked, the past two years, said Dr. David Sweet, YSU president.
Additional housing could help the university attract more students and meet its goal to increase enrollment by 5 percent, Sweet continued.
Of the 11,800 students enrolled at the university, about 1,000 live on campus, he said, but addressing the needs of on-campus students is one way of boosting enrollment. Some students who might like to live on campus don't because there is no room, he said. Other students may have chosen not to attend the university because there is no housing available.
Plans call for construction to be complete by the start of fall semester 2002.
Exactly how strong demand will be for two- and four-bedroom student apartments is uncertain, Sweet said. "We need a more detailed market analysis," he explained.
Construction of one-bedroom apartments is also under consideration, he added.
Members of the committee unanimously approved the authorization.