The K4 housing project is finally being set in motion, and if all goes according to plan, the new residence hall will open by Fall 2011.
But it is too early to know if selective living groups will have a presence in K4, said Joe Gonzalez, associate dean for residential life.
Vice President for Student Affairs Larry Moneta said K4 will serve as an exemplar of a possible new House-style living model for the architecture of New Campus—a proposed large-scale development that would connect East and West Campuses. Plans for New Campus have been placed on hold due to the economic downturn. The House-style design will allow students to be divided into two “houses,” one with 90 students and one with 60, he added.
Steve Nowicki, dean and vice provost of undergraduate education, said K4 is not overshadowing the administration’s concern about renovations to older residential buildings such as Crowell and Craven Quadrangles.
“We’d like to do it all, but construction of this will be paid for by the fact that there will be new revenue generated whereas renovation has to be based on other reserves,” he said. “In this time of financial downturn, renovation money is hard to find.”
Part of the appeal for the project comes from its financial feasibility, Nowicki said. The project will cost about $20 million and will be debt-financed. This means that most of the funds will be borrowed, in part from Residence Live and Housing Services’ reserves and license fees—what students pay for on-campus housing.
“In essence, these beds pay for themselves,” Gonzalez said.
Nowicki noted that new construction will be centered on making housing options more long-term.
“Any new construction for residence that we build really needs to be looking to the future,” he said. “Because in the future, when we finally do get to New Campus, and expand out, the residential experience could allow all students to have the same ability to move into someplace and get to stay there.”
The addition of a fourth building to Keohane Quadrangle will provide on-campus housing options to students who want to live on West Campus but are forced to go off campus due to a lack of space, Nowicki said. As the architectural completion of Keohane, K4 will add 150 beds to space inventory, with a higher percentage of singles and common space, Moneta said.
“We are creating facilities necessary for students we have here, better facilities. We’re not just building another dorm—we really are trying to make this a new and better residential space,” Nowicki said
Moneta hopes K4 will enliven McClendon Tower and the back quad with more social and study space along with an expanded plaza.
“Its a lot of things for one little 150-bed residence hall,” he said.
In its December meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the start of site prep work, Nowicki said. And in this month’s Trustees meeting, the Board will give its final say on the budget and permission to break ground.
“We are very optimistic that the Board will give us the go-ahead [to begin construction],” Nowicki said. “We’re going to start with some site work and figure out utilities, so that when we get the go-ahead we can move very quickly.”
If the project is approved, the University will try to complete most of the digging and foundation over the summer, but there will be utility relocations this Spring spreading down into the Edens Quadrangle, Moneta said. He added that administrators will work closely with residents to give notice of disruptions and ensure that construction hours minimally affect student patterns.
There will be a meeting Wednesday at 9 p.m. on the fifth floor of McClendon Tower for students with concerns or questions about the project and its impact.
The University is currently working with William Rawn Associates, an architectural firm in Boston, Nowicki said. He added that the construction bid has not been awarded yet.
“[The project is] a sign of progress and [it is] good to see things moving forward at Duke,” he said.
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