Legislature bill OKs apartment-style student housing for North Campus

By SUE WUETCHER
News Services Associate Director

The legislation allows for the construction of 250 apartment units accommodating up to 1,000 students on one of two sites: a parcel located between the University Bookstore and Audubon Parkway, and a parcel located between Hadley Road and the Audubon Parkway, across from the Cooke-Hochstetter complex.

Construction will begin in 1998, with occupancy expected in Fall 1999, said Robert J. Wagner, UB senior vice president.

Under the terms of the bill, the SUNY trustees will lease land to the UB Foundation, which will bid out the construction work and then contract with the university to manage the apartments.

The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. Mary Lou Rath, R-Williamsville, and Assemblyman Paul A. Tokasz, D-Cheektowaga.

Townhouse complex under way

Ground already has been broken for 115 two-story townhouse units that could house up to 460 students on land owned by the UB Foundation on Chestnut Ridge Road near Sweet Home Road.

That complex, which Wagner said will be marketed to graduate students, is expected to be completed by Summer 1998.

Noting that the state Dormitory Authority has constructed on-campus housing in the past, Wagner said the move toward privately developed housing at UB is part of the university's "facility development strategy for housing."

He added: "From our vantage point, the most effective way (to build housing and other non-academic structures) is through a not-for-profit corporation like the UB Foundation." Wagner noted that the strategy should not be viewed as criticism of the Dormitory Authority, which, he said, "does a fine job."

The UB Foundation could conceivably get the capital for the project from the Dormitory Authority, he added. The Dormitory Authority also could sell the bonds for construction of a mathematics building on the North Campus if the project is funded from a $300 million lump sum included in the capital budget approved by the Legislature.

Wagner noted that in the past, the capital budget as approved by the Legislature identified specific projects. But this year, money has not been allocated to specific projects. UB should know within the next two months if the math building will be funded from that $300 million lump sum, he said.

The design for the estimated $6 million math building is finished, and documents needed to bid the project are ready, he said, adding that if approved, the building could be ready for occupancy by Fall 1999 or Spring 2000.

In discussing the overall state budget, Wagner noted that this is the first budget in a decade that does not assign a base-level reduction to UB's state operating budget.

No tuition increase in budget

The state budget includes no tuition increase and provides full restoration of funds to the Tuition Assistance Program.

The UB budget includes a $25-per-semester increase in the campus technology fee. This is the only university-wide fee increase for 1997-98, Wagner said.

"It's very positive, very welcome," he said of the state budget. "It gives us some stability," he noted, adding that he hopes this stability continues for the next few years. "The challenge will be to make use of these resources and continue to make the case that further investment in higher education will benefit New York State."