University requests permits for new dorms

Meghan Schelzi

Fairfield has filed two applications with the town board to allow the University to build two new dorms on campus.

The plan calls for the construction of two new dormitories, one in the Quad and one in the Village. The Quad dorm will be built in between Jogues and Campion while the Village dorm will be built on the parking lot in between the Library and Kostka.

St. Ignatius Hall, the Jesuit Residence, will also be converted to student living along with Dolan Hall, which will be converted into apartments.

A project of this magnitude usually takes five to seven years to complete, but Vice President for Student Affairs Mark Reed has stated that the school has an expected completion date of May 2010. The school expects the costs to run around $75 million, which will be raised primarily through loans and bonds.

‘ The Connecticut Post has reported that the first application is for the Quad dorm and seeks a variance to allow the building to be 44.8 feet tall along with a 48.5 foot tall elevator tower, as opposed to the limite of 40 feet set by zoning regulations. It also asks the increase the number of stories from three to four.

The second application is for the Village dorm, which needs approval from the Inland Wetlands Commission due to its proximity to the wetlands behind the library, accoring to the Post. The wetlands staff has recommended that the application be approved when the panel meets.

Both applications will be presented in meetings on Thursday in Sullivan-Independence Hall, according to the Post. The Zoning Board of Appeals with hold a public meeting at 3 p.m. while the wetlands panel will meet at 7:30 p.m..

While the Post implies that the University’s goal is to reduce the number of students living at the beach, Reed disputed that claim in September. Reed said that the school would continue to allow around 400 students to live off-campus each year and that the purpose of the new dorms will be to eliminate freshmen triples and allow all juniors and seniors the option of either townhouses or apartments.

The University’s plan to restructure its living spaces was first reported by The Mirror in September. The Mirror also praised the plan in its editorial.