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Construction workers ignore the cold weather to work on the foundation of the Duncan Street Apartment Complex located across the street from the Harmon Parking Garage. The apartments are scheduled for completion in the summer of 2008.

Duncan apartments to open by fall 2008

By: Jaclyn Johnson

Posted: 11/14/07

Duncan Avenue is the future home of UA apartments set to open in time for the fall 2008 semester, according to UA Housing officials.

Each housing unit will have four bedrooms and will be modeled in a suite-like style. Fifty units are being constructed across from Harmon Parking Garage. The apartments are for upperclassmen, said Randy Alexander, director of UA Housing.

The Duncan Apartments have been planned since 2005 because of increased demand for housing, Alexander said. The complex will be the first of its kind on campus, with other residential areas being in the standard residential hall format, according to the UA Web site.

Market research from 2005 reveals that students specifically want apartment housing, he said.

Over the last two years, some upperclassmen were turned away from housing because they missed their priority registration. Alexander said he estimates between 70 and 85 students might have been turned down last year.

There will not be a specific parking lot created for the complex. Most students will probably take advantage of the Harmon parking deck, Alexander said. Others might choose basic student parking passes.

The apartments are also the first UA building to be constructed with Green Globes standards. This makes the building more energy efficient and safer to the environment, according to the UA Web site. Green Globes is an organization created to help businesses become more environmentally friendly by making changes to current structures and making plans for future construction.

After the decision to demolish Carlson Terrace was reached, some students were concerned for the non traditional students living in the complex. The complex housed married couples and Spring International Students.

Each unit is single-gendered and therefore cannot house couples or families.

Few married students lived in Carlson Terrace in recent years, Alexander said. At the time the complex was being torn down, married students were using only three units. However, the new apartments will still be able to furnish other non traditional students, he said.

Maple Hill additions will be completed for next fall as well, and will add 350 spots for students, Alexander said.

This will contribute only 150 total spots because of Gladson-Ripley and Buchanan-Droke being closed at the same time, added Alexander. Together the units hold about 200 students, said Alexander.

The university currently houses 4,380 students, Alexander said.

In June 2005, the UA had Hanbury Evans Wright Vlattas and Company finish a physical plan for UA Housing. The report, the University Housing Strategic Plan, concluded that some current housing needs to be renovated, while completely new additions are needed. Some demolitions have also been planned. The plan has three phases, which are set to be completed over the next ten to 15 years, as reported by the Phase II report released in October 2006.

The expansion of Maple Hill is part of the Phase II plan. The additions to Maple Hill that opened this year were part of the Phase I plan, as well the closing of Walton Hall, according to the 2006 report.