Just in time for a fresh class of A&M students, a new dorm complex much like the Commons on the south side of campus will open to provide an innovate living experience, but for a price.
The dorms that are nearing completion on Northside are expected to be bigger, fancier and more expensive than any other dorm on campus. Opening in fall 2013, the newest living option on campus built since the late 1980s includes four different floor plans and many amenities not before seen at A&M.
According to the Residence Life website, the dorms will be a world class living, learning community and destination a place to live at the heart of the A&M experience that celebrates diversity and draws students together through academic success, history, tradition and spirit.
Residents of the old Northside dorms, however, wont have to look far to find remnants of their old living quarters. Salvaged materials from the buildings were used in various parts of the construction for the new dorm.
We wanted to commemorate in a special way Crocker, Moore and McInnis, said Carol Binzer, director of administrative and support services for Residence Life. One of the locations is the fireplace mantel, another location is in the game room and there will be some furniture made out of [the salvaged materials].
Residence life officials understand that the dorm each student lives in becomes a big part of their college experience, and at a university where tradition is highly valued, many appreciate the old isnt being ignored in favor of the new.
I didnt know they were including the Crocker wood in the new building, said Steven Mancillas, junior accounting major. I think its really cool that they made the effort to keep the tradition alive in that way.
Leasing rates for the new dorms can cost as much as $700 more than other on-campus living options. Binzer said she isnt worried about the higher rates affecting the amount of people wishing to live there.
This will be a state-of-the-art building with amenities that are amazing. Binzer said. The pricing is done in an effort to be on par with market value, the amenities throughout and this new mortgage covering the debt over time.
Three of the four floor plans the double, two-person suite and four-person suite will be available to students at $3,500 per semester while single rooms will run at $4,750 per semester. Currently, the most expensive dorms on campus are priced at $2,787 per semester.
Residence Life said the dorm complex will serve as the living room for students on Northside and provide a fun and innovative living experience.
Citing studies that show living on campus for the first year of college can improve grades and increase school retention rates, Binzer said she wants most of the spaces in the dorm complex to go to freshmen.
We aren’t targeting any particular student, Binzer said. [But] we do want the majority of the spaces to go to freshmen.
The new addition could soon be joined by more. According to the Residence Life website, this construction is only the first the campus will see in the near future. The website said the sustainable and environment-friendly facility will seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor experiences.
Housing applications are currently being turned in, and Binzer said the Department of Residence Life is receiving enough applications to fill the dorms easily. Housing assignments will be decided early in the spring semester.
I believe it will create synergy for the Northside of campus, Binzer said. And provide a place for all on campus residents but especially the Northside residents to have a common place to hang out and study.