Editor’s note: This is the second in a five-part series on the Department of Residence’s Master Plan. The plan, which spans across several years, will renovate and rebuild several of the ISU residence halls. The second area the Daily is profiling is Hawthorn Court.

While the first project of the Master Plan, Maple Hall, is geared toward underclassmen, Hawthorn Court is designed to give upperclass students additional on-campus housing options.

Construction on seven of the nine apartment buildings in Hawthorn Court is underway, and students are expected to move into the buildings by next fall.

The residence will provide apartment-style living that is designed to create a community of upper-level students located close to the university. The apartments will be located on the northeastern side of campus.

Hawthorn Court will have both four- and two-bedroom apartments for four residents. The apartments will be furnished with one compartmentalized bathroom, a full kitchen and a living room. A stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal and a washer and dryer will also be provided for residents.

Each bedroom will have telephone, cable television and ethernet connections.

Director of Residence Randy Alexander said Hawthorn Court will include ample parking, a computer center, caf‚, fitness center, a convenience store, student offices and a meeting center.

The apartment neighborhood will consist of nine buildings, seven of which are scheduled to be finished in late spring. However, Associate Director of Residence Virginia Arthur said some of the buildings could be finished sooner than that.

“Seven of the buildings are supposed to be finished in late spring, but we are ahead of schedule,” she said.

In addition, after the nine buildings are completed, Alexander said “it looked pretty good” that there could be three more buildings in development.

As it does with many large-scale projects, the Department of Residence conducted research to learn what the students desired for their living arrangements.

“We asked students what they wanted, and a lot of them wanted apartments instead of dormitories and suites,” Alexander said. “Hawthorn Court is designed to meet the need of apartment-style living.”

Alexander also said the students who were surveyed asked for a community of upper-class students in Hawthorn. Students must have a total of 36 credits to apply to live there.

Alexander said there will be other places on campus directed to other students, including the Union Drive and Richardson Court associations.

Because of the age range of Hawthorn’s intended residents, the staff levels there will be smaller in comparison to undergraduate housing’s staffing.

“The position for hall director will be advertised, and there will be positions for four undergrad staff,” Arthur said.

Hawthorn Court appears to be popular — there were 200 requests for apartments that the department could not fill, Alexander said.

Aldona Jelinek, senior in civil engineering, is planning to move into the apartments next year because she thinks it will be a good opportunity to meet more upperclassmen.

“My friends convinced me to move in with them,” she said. “I like the idea of living in a single bedroom but still living with friends.”

Other students appreciated that the apartments are complete with many amenities.

“I liked the location and thought it would be convenient because it was already furnished,” said Jenny Bader, junior in accounting.