Artist’s rendering of student apartments planned for Kentucky Street

Non-traditional and graduate students now have a preview of the apartments that will soon be built for them.

Conceptual drawings of the apartments to be built on Kentucky Street are complete, said Brian Kuster, director of Housing and Residence Life.

The drawings show students what officials are thinking of with regard to the apartments, he said.

The colors of the buildings and their interior designs still have to be determined, but officials are happy with what has been done so far, Kuster said.

“They’re more upscale than what students are used to,” he said.

The apartments will have bay windows, balconies and possibly hardwood floors, Kuster said.

Officials want the apartments to be cheaper than off-campus apartments, he said.

The design concept was presented to the Student Life Foundation, which owns all of the dorms, but final renderings must be made before the project can move forward, said Howard Bailey, vice president for Student Affairs.

Several factors are considered when coming up with the initial design, including making sure the design will be compatible with other buildings in the area, Bailey said.

The apartments will look like they have been in the area for many years and have an urban feel because they’ll be made out of brick and stone, not vinyl, Kuster said.

He said the Student Life Foundation is paying for the project, which will cost about $6 million.

Fifty-one apartments will be built initially. About 60 percent of them will have two bedrooms, and 40 percent of them will have one bedroom, Kuster said.

The 51 apartments will be spread out over six buildings, said Don Stoneburg, an engineer who oversees the construction management for Student Life Foundation projects.

Two buildings will be built at a time, with construction of the first two beginning summer 2010, as long as the bidding process to find a contractor goes smoothly this spring, Stoneburg said.

It will take three to four years to complete all six buildings, he said. The first two, which will have 18 apartments, are scheduled to be ready by fall 2011.

After the 51 apartments are completed, more might be added if they’re popular, Kuster said.