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10A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
NEWS
MONDAY,AUGUST 18,2003
Student Housing plans for Hashinger Hall renovations
By Abby Mills amills@kansan.com kansan staff writer
On the heels of completing Ellsworth Hall, the Department of Student Housing is gearing up to tackle its next big project.
"Now that we're wrapping up Ellsworth, we're looking to Hashinger," said Ken Stoner, director of the Department Student Housing.
Hashinger Hall, on Daisy Hill. will close for renovations in Spring 2005 and reopen in Fall 2006.
The first step in the process,
Stoner said, was hiring an architect. Stoner and other representatives from the University of Kansas and the state of Kansas will meet in Topeka Aug. 25 to interview potential firms and develop a list of possible candidates.
Once the firm is selected, Stoner said, the architect will work with the University to develop a plan for the building. Stoner said the firm would conduct focus groups to gauge what students would like to see in the final product.
"We need to get an idea of what we want to do, and students are welcome to help with that," Stoner said.
lived in Hashinger her freshman year and said she hoped renovations would not ruin the individuality of the hall. She said the other residence halls had seemed identical to her, but Hashinger was different.
Amy Curtis, Lenexa senior.
Elizabeth Marvel, Shawne senior, lived with Curtis in Hashinger and said not all Hashinger's differences were positive.
"That dorm had history, it was unique," she said. "I liked that about it."
Marvel said she was glad the building was being updated, but wanted it to keep its art focus. Hashinger has art resources such as rehearsal rooms, a theater and an Art Design Resource Center with drawing tables, sewing machines and computers with photography design programs.
"It was sort of trashy looking, she said." Though it had the most personality, it wasn't in the best shape. There was definitely a difference in cleanliness
Stoner said that because the building was being completely redone, it may not necessarily keep that art focus. He said student input would be important in making such decisions.
and general maintenance between it and the other residence hallss."
Marvel said she wanted Hash
inger to stay an art-centered hall because it brought like-minded people together in a creative environment. She said she thought the renovations could help the art resources be more useful to students.
"The Resource Center could use some updates," she said. "It needs newer computers and more technology."
E's Express, the grab-and-go dining facility in the Hashinger basement, could also see changes, Stoner said. He said one of the options being considered was to change the set-up to more of a fast food concept. He said if that happened, students would be able to grab quick meals from franchise
stores such as Domino's Pizza.
"Customers are interested in that, so that's what we're trying to do," he said.
Stoner said the project would be funded like home renovation projects — the University will borrow money and pay it back through increased residence hall fees. He said rates for housing in Hashinger would rise similarly to how rates changed in Templin, Lewis and Ellsworth Halls because of extras in the rooms.
The Department of Student Housing estimates that the project will cost $12.6 million.
MADNESS: Hall facelift complete
CONTINUED FROM 1A
— Edited by Neeley Spellmeier
ways.
in the non-renovated Ellsworth Hall, students shared two communal bathrooms on each floor. Ellsworth now offers accommodations in suites for up to four students with a private bath. These spacious rooms follow design recommendations from students living in suites in other residence halls, said Michelle Moore, complex director of Ellsworth and Hashinger Halls. The bathrooms and closet space shrank, but communal living space expanded.
Megan Persinger, Hiawata sophomore, lived in Hashinger last year and was looking forward to the new rooms and not sharing a bathroom with an entire floor of girls.
Eric Paulson, Wichita suphomore, directs traffic between Ellsworth and Hashinger Halls. Paulson not only directed traffic but helped students move into the residence halls yesterday while volunteering for the Association of University Residence Halls. AURH assisted students moving into the residence halls.
Nate Stafford move in yesterday. Brenda lived in Oliver when she was a student and said Ellsworth looked much nicer than Oliver did when she went to the University.
"Communal bathrooms kind of sucked," Persinger said. "If you had to pee, you had to put on shoes and walk all the way down the hall."
Brandon Baker/Kansan
The rooms provide students with stackable maple furniture, a departure from traditional oak furniture in other dormitories at the University of Kansas, said Carol Von Tersch, assistant director of student housing.
Brenda Stafford helped her son
In the communal living space, counter tops provide a space for a fridge and microwave next to a stainless steel sink. On each floor, eight four-person suites are tucked between the 10 two-person rooms. Ellsworth has three types of rooms for two roommates: two-person rooms with a private bath, traditional two-person rooms with communal bathrooms on the floor and larger two-person studios with a bathroom. The two-person studios are on the first and second floors below the lobby and main entrance of the dormitory. Moore said freshmen cannot occupy these larger studio apartments. Moore said the floors were not done yet, but she expected construction crews to have them completed in September.
Ellsworth is the first residence hall with a faculty apartment and office in the building. This room is the largest room for living accommodations in Ellsworth. However, Mooresaid the housing department has not made a final decision on who the faculty adviser would be.
The faculty apartment will
house a professor, an academic adviser or a student affairs administrator. The two-bedroom faculty room, located on the third floor is more spacious and private compared to the student living accommodations in Ellsworth. The space has a full kitchen and bath. The faculty person residing at Ellsworth Hall will work out of an office on the first floor. The idea of housing a faculty member on the
same premises as students is part of Ellsworth Hall's excellence programs, Moore said.
The Experiencing Excellence in Ellsworth, or 3E program, is an idea from before the construe-
tion. However, the proposed plan calls for an emphasis on academics rather than freshmen involvement, according to the Living/Learning Communities Proposal submitted Aug. 5, 2002.
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