Posted 03-11-03

By Tre Bishof
News Editor

Campus housing will go from an eye sore to a major recruiting tool if plans from Louisiana Tech University administrators becomes reality.

With a plan to phase out high-rise residence halls, Tech officials are working to construct dormitories designed to enhance student life and connect two parts of campus.

"It's a very exciting time," Tech President Dan Reneau said. "It certainly meets the time and the demands of the students."

Recently, Tech officials received approval from the University of Louisiana System to go ahead with a plan to build residence hall facilities north of the Kansas City Southern railroad tracks and connect the university's athletic venue with the academic part of campus.

The area will be known as University Park.

Tech is utilizing a new law that allows state agencies to create a not-for-profit agency that raise funds for projects designed to increase the value of state property.

Tech's group, Innovative Student Facilities Inc., is comprised of seven board members who will oversee the upgrade of property recently acquired by the university near J.C. Love Field and Alabama Avenue.

This allows projects, such as improving campus housing, to get off the ground quicker than usual, officials said.

"The capital outlay process has become so cumbersome," Tech Vice President for Student Affairs Jim King said, referring to the 10-year process of revitalizing Hale Hall recently completed by the school. "The sole purpose (for the non-profit group) is for the advancement of the university."

The facilities, which will be built behind the baseball field, the Tech tennis courts and intramural center along Western Street, will house over 400 students. A connector for the campus will be placed along Western Street over the KCS railroad.

KCS has already provided written approval for the university to build a crosswalk.
These new residence halls will be built as apartment-style buildings and town houses to meet the demands of students in higher education today and should be available by the fall of 2004.

"It was enthusiastically endorsed," King said. "We still have a good bit of work to do. It's going to be great for student life. It will also be great for baseball."

Included in the housing complex are:

n two- and four-bedroom designs

n townhouses with spiral staircases to a loft with two bedrooms and a bath

n lease includes rent, all utilities, phone and cable TV

n kitchens

n park meal plan

One of the benefits Tech administrators are citing from the housing project is the ability to connect two parts of campus that traditionally have been separate because of the KCS railroad.

With the majority of Tech's athletic complexes located north of the tracks and academic buildings and student housing south of KCS, many students chose to drive across campus.

One of the key components to the redesign of Tech's student housing is the connection of Tech housing to its athletics programs.

"The student housing plan drawn up will be a real asset to our baseball program," Tech director of athletics Jim Oakes said. "Having apartments adjacent to J.C. Love Field will give the complex a Camden Yards-type affect."

Camden Yards, the home of the Baltimore Orioles, is one of the newest stadiums in Major League Baseball. Oakes said the field is one of the best parks in baseball and that type of look will enhance Tech's field.

"I think we have a very attractive baseball park now," Oakes said. "But having some type of apartment in left field will enhance that."

Tech will soon accept applications from students who want to reserve a spot in the new complex. A Web site — www.latech.edu/universitypark — will be online soon.