Seventy-three percent of students are not aware of the plan to construct new on-Grounds student housing on Brandon Avenue, according to a survey conducted by The Cavalier Daily, in partnership with a faculty advisory committee and the Center for Survey Research. The poll asked questions about students’ opinions and knowledge regarding the plan.
On Sept. 16, the Board of Visitors Buildings and Grounds Committee approved a master plan to redevelop 11 acres on Brandon Avenue through projects like the expansion of the Elson Student Health Center, a memorial for enslaved laborers and new student housing next to Bice House.
If the redevelopment plan reaches its full potential, it could add up to 650 new beds and 260 parking spaces on Grounds.
Third-year Engineering student MacKenzie Hodgson learned about the development plan through her involvement in Student Council. She said she believes many students move off-Grounds after their second year for better housing options.
“I think that it is the norm for students to live off-Grounds after second year because the University options are subpar, have too many restrictions and are too expensive,” Hodgson said. “However, I think that if some of the concerns were addressed, more people would choose to live on-Grounds in order to avoid the ordeal of finding and signing a lease for off-Grounds housing.”
Hodgson — who toured the apartments the new student housing would replace — said she thinks student housing on Brandon Avenue would appeal to many students.
“Brandon Avenue is conveniently located for both classes and the Corner,” Hodgson said. “Also, the buildings that will be taken down are in pretty bad condition currently.”
University Architect Alice Raucher said student opinion was considered through two rounds of polling in 2012 and 2015.
“The plans have been presented in public meetings to the Board of Visitors and reported in the news,” Raucher said in an email statement. “The University Office of the Architect has also met with neighborhood groups.”
The poll conducted by the BOV in the fall of 2015 found students considered Brandon Avenue and Jefferson Park Avenue the most desirable location for on-Grounds housing. The Cavalier Daily poll supports this data, with 54 percent of students rating Brandon Avenue as a good location or better for student housing.
Third-year Engineering student Maggie Story moved off-Grounds after her second year to be closer to her classes. She toured apartments on Brandon Avenue, but eventually chose to live elsewhere.
“[Lambeth] was really far away, so we wanted something closer, and the only closer options were JPA for the Engineering school,” Story said. “I think if there were student housing options on Brandon Avenue, that would be a good choice to consider.”
Story said she believes the reduced cost of on-Grounds housing would attract more students to living on Grounds.
“That would be a big factor for me because I realized how stressful it is to pay rent every month, pay utilities, contact these companies, make sure you’re not getting cheated by Internet,” Story said. “I really liked not paying for utilities, but then again the cost upfront of on-Grounds housing is a lot more. I think overall, what you’re paying off-Grounds is about the same, it’s comparable.”
While Student BOV member Phoebe Willis, a Law and Darden student, was not on the BOV when the development was being discussed, she said she aims to share information about the development with students through her Student Member Facebook page, Student Member Newsletter and meetings.
“I will be attending Student Council meetings once a month next semester to provide updates and answer questions,” Willis said in an email statement. “I hope that these efforts will help keep the student body better informed.”
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