Two new residence halls in store for students

The UA will ask the Arizona Board of Regents this week for the go-ahead to build two new residence halls to replace four declining dorms.

The University of Arizona will request permission to build two 350-bed residence halls, estimated to cost $29 million to $34 million. The buildings would be located west of La Paz Residence Hall, 602 N. Highland Ave.

"To continue to be competitive, the UA needs to do this to its residence halls," said Regent Judy Gignac.

The plan is to discontinue leases with Corleone Apartments, 1330 N. Park Ave., and Babcock, 1717 E. Speedway Blvd., and demolish Hopi Residence Hall, 1440 E. Fourth St., or convert it into office buildings. There are no plans for Sierra Residence Hall, entombed on the east side of Arizona Stadium, James Van Arsdel, director of Residence Life and University Housing, said.

The future site of the dorm will displace buildings 44 and 49, and the UA Motor Pool, but officials have not yet found a suitable place to relocate the buildings.

He said the plan would create a net increase of 200 beds because several older halls would no longer be used as dorms once the project was completed.

"We are trying to increase the quality of space in the residence hall system," Van Arsdel said. "We want to replace four buildings we consider the worst" with two new buildings.

Two regents members said they did not think project approval would be a problem.

President-elect Rudy Campbell said he "did not hear any objections [to the project] from other board members."

Gignac said she had not discussed the project with other board members, but thought discussion was needed.

Joel Valdez, UA senior vice president of business affairs, said he did not foresee any glitches in getting approval.

The initial proposal states the project would be paid through three residence hall-rate increases totaling 7.5 percent to 9 percent. The first increase would take effect during the 1999-2000 school year.

Campbell and Gignac said a 7.5 percent residence hall rate increase spread over three years was very reasonable to fund the project.

The UA will also be presenting seven other construction projects for approval, including a new 200-300 unit graduate and family housing complex, and a parking structure that would add 600 parking spaces.

Valdez said all seven projects are on a consent agenda and will likely be approved.