Date: 6/14/10
Contact: Jay Groves
The Illinois State University Board of Trustees Monday cleared the way for the University's first-ever public-private housing initiative by approving a ground lease for the 14.5-acre Cardinal Court property on Gregory Street just northwest of campus.
Under the plan, the land will be leased to the Collegiate Housing Foundation (CHF), who will establish a limited liability company on behalf of Illinois State to construct, finance and own the 800-bed complex. The project will be led by American Campus Communities (ACC), an Austin, Texas, company that has developed more than 40,000 beds in partnership with universities across the country and has completed multiple student housing projects with 11 campuses. ACC has partnered with Solomon, Cordwell and Buenz (SCB) as lead architect for the project. SCB is a Chicago design firm familiar to Illinois State as the consultants in the development of the Long-Range Plan for Housing and Dining as well as the design firm for the Wilkins Hall renovation. The general contractor will be Weis Builders from Chicago, a family-owned business with experience in building over 30,000 beds for student housing.
"This is an important first for Illinois State University as we create new partnerships to continue to provide attractive, modern and cost-effective living spaces for our students," said President Al Bowman. "I want to thank Senator Dan Rutherford and Representative Dan Brady for sponsoring the legislation making this partnership possible. I also thank and congratulate our Board of Trustees, Vice Presidents Dan Layzell and Steve Adams and the many University staff members who worked so hard to launch this project."
The complex, scheduled to open in August 2012, will be managed by University staff. The apartment-style units will offer several different layouts and varied rental structures.
The complex will include indoor and outdoor recreation facilities and spaces for student studying and gathering. In addition to ample parking, the complex will also be served by Redbird Express, Illinois State's bus transportation system, as well as an enhanced pedestrian walkway connecting the complex to the main campus with lighting, seating areas and emergency call boxes.
When the lease with CHF ends, the buildings become the property of Illinois State. The University initiated the project after deciding to close the aging Atkin-Colby and Hamilton-Whitten residence halls, resulting in the loss of more than 1,500 beds. Illinois State will continue to review several other submitted housing proposals since the Cardinal Court project will not fully replace the number of beds lost in closing of South Campus residence halls.
Cardinal Court was built in the 1950s to house students with families, but more than 80 percent of the current occupants are single students. The majority of students with families reside in Illinois State Shelbourne complex.
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