Two weeks ago, the Iowa State Board of Regents approved the continuation of the Department of Residence Master Plan.

Department officials currently are searching for an architect to evaluate what needs to be done to the Union Drive Association area.

“We are publicizing the fact that this project is available,” said Randy Alexander, director of the Department of Residence. “The interested firms will send back information, and we will pick three or four firms to come in and give presentations.”

Following these presentations, department officials will create a schematic design with the consultants’ input.

“The schematic design is like a blueprint, but it is not that detailed because it doesn’t [show] electric or plumbing,” he said. “After we have that, we will go back to the regents to present the plan.”

Alexander said department officials also will request permission on the design of the community center and one of three suite-style buildings that will be located in the UDA.

“The new [community center] facility will enable us to implement a new type of dining system,” he said. “We [hope] to move into the direction of a declining point system.”

Suggestions for what should be housed in the community center include a dining center, a retail bakery and a convenience store larger than the one already located in Friley Hall.

“We will close the store in Friley [Hall] and do something with the space,” he said.

The three suite-style buildings will house about 300 students and will consist of two rooms sharing one bathroom.

Renovations to Friley Hall will be similar to Maple Hall, since it will include a combination of dorm rooms and suites.

Repairs to Oak-Elm Hall will begin this summer with renovations to the roof and an improved fire system.

“Not all of the [plans] are on track,” Alexander said. “We haven’t had time to do planning on Buchanan Hall.”

Phase One of renovations to Hawthorn Court will begin in June with the demolition of the Hawthorn Court units and construction of apartments.

“There will be about 250 apartments with four people to an apartment,” Alexander said. “We don’t know how many will be ready by summer.”

Eventually, all residence halls constructed during the Master Plan will house class-level neighborhoods geared toward increasing academics.

“UDA and [Richardson Court Association] will be geared towards first-year students,” said Virginia Arthur, associate director of residence life.

She said Hawthorn Court will house an upperclassmen neighborhood.

Alexander said he hopes to have several hundred apartments in Hawthorn Court ready by the summer of 2000.