New Student Housing Opens At Expanded University Village
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 1999
Joe Wills
530-898-4143
New Student Housing Opens At Expanded University Village
California State University, Chico opens 120 new units of student housing tomorrow, Jan. 20, at the expanded University Village on Nord Avenue.
The students moving in - most of them transfer students new to the university - will find completely refurbished apartment-style housing at the site of the former Colony Inn.
In the summer of 1998, $4.2 million in state bonds were sold for the purchase and renovation of the Colony Inn, which was adjacent to the existing University Village at Nord Avenue near West Sacramento Avenue. The university has totally remodeled the apartment building and included it as part of the University Village complex.
Next fall, another 120 units will be available at the expanded University Village site, bringing the number of new student units available to 240. University Village will have a total of 460 units at that time.
Considerable work went into getting the new student housing ready for students. Interiors were gutted down to the studs, asbestos was removed and a new roof was put on the structure. New furnishings were added once the units were completed and painted.
Costs incurred by university housing — debt service, personnel, insurance, utilities — are covered by money received from student residents, not by general fund money.
University Village debuted in 1991 after the university purchased the former Open Circles complex. Although University Village is located off-campus, it is operated like an on-campus residence hall, with a front desk, university rules and regulations, staff in residence and planned activities for residents.
The new units are four-bedroom, two-bath apartments, known as clusters. The residents, like other University Village residents, will have access to a pool, tennis court, community room and 24-hour staffing. University Police will patrol the area like other university facilities.
Over past few years, CSU, Chico has had more requests for university-operated student housing spaces than it can provide. Enrollment growth and strong interest among new students and parents in university-operated housing are both responsible. Even with the University Village expansion, CSU, Chico estimates several hundred more bed spaces will be required in the next few years to meet incoming students’ requests for university-operated housing.
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