New campus housing opens for residents
Alexia Lang
Issue date: 8/18/08 Section: News
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Features offered to tenants include a fitness center, activity center, outdoor recreation and computer lounges on every floor.
Each of the one, two and four bedroom apartments come furnished and have a kitchen and personal bathrooms.
Bob Simmons, Assistant Vice Chancellor of Campus Facilities, said the apartments are unique within campus living.
"It really gives us the full range of college living options," he said.
The $52 million facility was built on UMKC property by a not-for-profit company called Place Properties. They entered a 38-year land lease with the university which stipulates that revenue remaining after Place Properties has paid its debts and obligations will go to UMKC to develop other campus projects.
"Place Properties funded the project," Simmons said. "No UMKC money went into this project."
Although there is still some work to be done before the project is finished, Eric Grospitch, director of Residential Life, said 84 percent of the 515 beds are occupied.
Simmons said the remaining work is primarily landscaping.
"When you are inside, including the courtyard, it looks complete," he said.
Construction on Oak Street is still underway in front of Oak Place. The street is closed down to one lane in front of the apartments in order to complete the work necessary to make the area pedestrian-friendly, Simmons said.
"We [UMKC] brought additional money for the pedestrian crossing," he said. "We needed to address pedestrian/vehicle conflicts."
The university is also paying for the addition of parallel parking along the street.
The street project was paid for with $250,000 taken from the Robert H. Flarsheim Fund which is designated for the beautification of campus.
Although traditional freshman cannot have residency at Oak Place, it is open to a wide range of tenants. If apartments still remain vacant once all UMKC applications are handled, Place Properties can rent to Rockhurst University and Kansas City Art Institute students.
Twelve-month leases are offered on the apartments. Electricity, water and sewer, cable and high speed internet are included in rent.
Apartment residents also have the optional use of the facility's private parking garage with a security gate. The amenity is offered for an additional $50 per month and half off the regular campus parking tag.
The closest alternative parking option is the Oak Street parking garage located across the street which only requires a campus parking permit.
The first level of Oak Place devotes 5,000 square feet of space to a C-store which will be run by Sodexo, UMKC's food provider, as well as a local restaurant. The name of the restaurant will be announced once negotiations are complete.
Residential Life and Student Life facilitated the move of a number of students from the Oak and Cherry Street dorms to the new facility.
Grospitch said residents have reacted positively to Oak Place so far.
Natalie Wise, a senior studying dance, worked in the leasing office over the summer. She moved into an apartment along with the rest of the staff a week before general residents began moving in.
"It depends on where you are coming from how you will receive it," she said. "I like it because of the community. There are so many different kinds of people you get to meet."
Simmons said he hopes that all of the residents like the new facility.
"How could they not love it?" he said.
alang@unews.com
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