“A big disappointment” was how freshman Melissa Pearce summed up her feelings to the renovations planned for the on campus housing in 2008.
The projects, which will turn the current townhouse basements into “garden apartments” (four-person apartments on blocks one through 10 and two-person apartments on blocks 11 through 15), convert the current Jesuit residence to two-person junior and senior suites, and build a new, smaller residence for Jesuits currently living on campus is scheduled to be completed by fall 2008.
Many students, including sophomore Michelle Serratelli are concerned about finding off-campus housing in light of new housing options.
“It’s good that juniors and seniors are getting more options, especially since finding a beach house is becoming more and more difficult,” she said.
Freshman Caroline Scherbath, who is currently tripled on the fourth floor of Campion, is “glad because this reduces my chances of being caught in a dorm my sophomore and junior years. There will also be less people in a townhouse, so it will probably be less crammed.”
Fiona Camilleri ’09 agrees but questions the administration’s choices for building plans.
“They should make more buildings like the senior apartments. Those are the nicest places on campus,” she said.
Although the plans are geared toward vast improvement, many students have expressed three basic concerns with the plan: the loss of basements in townhouses, the possibility of living in a former basement, and the probability that they may never live with more than one person if they choose to remain on campus all four years.
Reed also raised the point of what students are going to miss about the “space whose only approved use is storage.”
“Students want to use the space for purposes that the spaces are not designed for, safe for or permitted by the applicable codes,” he said.
Taylor addressed students’ concerns over the impending construction.
“The schedule will be developed to minimize disruption to students. Every attempt will be made to execute all exterior work at the townhouses over the two summers while the units are vacant,” he said.
Despite the goals of the plan, students are still upset over the idea of townhouse renovations.
“It’s a surprise and a disappointment. I think more people will reconsider townhouses. The excitement of getting a townhouse is gone,” said Rich Soriente ’09, who said he was looking forward to living in a townhouse next year.
Mallory Empowe ’09 expressed another concern about the possible living arrangements.
“I think it would be weird living in a basement, and I also think it would be weird to live in the Jesuit residence. You would be really far away from everything,” he said.
Janine Martire ’09 commented on the lure that getting a townhouse has become: “In tours, they tell you about the townhouses. The way they market them is very misleading.”
Fellow sophomore Paul Michael Dalton agreed: “Every time the year above us has something it gets taken away for us,” he said, adding his frustration with the possibility of living with only one roommate for his entire college career. “I also would rather live with a group of people and am not sure how it’s going to affect me and my housing plans.”
Freshman Stephanie Preli sees the whole project as a way to curb the drinking which occurs on campus and feels that it may affect her housing choices during her college career.
“First we lost the beach, now we are losing the basements in townhouses. No matter what, students are still going to find somewhere to go,” she said.
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