June 12, 2000

Several building projects got the green light from the Board of Trustees last month, including the new parking garage, new student apartments and a new student residence hall.

The new garage, to be located next to Gampel Pavilion on the corner of Hillside and Stadium Road, will include space for the UConn Co-op. The Co-op, now in the center of campus near the Babbidge Library, will relocate next summer.

The current Co-op building will be torn down, as its location is considered prime space.

Although the 60,000-square-foot retail space will not be finished until next summer, the 1,500-space parking garage will be completed early in 2001.

The trustees approved a "Finding of No Significant Impact" for the garage on May 8 and approved a $24 million budget for its construction.

Also approved were project budgets for the new Hilltop residence halls at $21 million and for the Hilltop student rental apartments at $42 million. Both projects were funded with UConn General Obligation Bonds which are self-liquidating. Student board and rental charges will cover the payment on the bonds, said Dale Dreyfus, vice chancellor for business and administration.

The new residence halls will be added to the existing Hilltop complex and students living in them will eat at the existing dining hall, he said. The residence halls will have suite-type dormitory housing and will provide an additional 400 to 500 beds in three to four low-rise buildings. The buildings are scheduled to open in fall 2001.

Also scheduled to open in fall 2001 is a 13-building apartment complex for upper class students. The complex will be located near Hilltop on a 33-acre parcel between Separatist Road, Stadium Road and Alumni Drive. The 970 beds will include 180 four-bedroom units; 72 two-bedroom units; and 106 one-room apartments, known as efficiency units.

The apartments will be constructed by Capstone Building Corp., which was selected in a competitive process last fall.

Karen A. Grava