My solution to the housing crunch

[Cajun Power]

This might be playing fantasy university, but I think UL could have a great on campus situation with these changes:

They are going to tear down the Buchannan Dorm, what I would do in an expanded footprint of that building is to build a four story dorm with apartment style rooms. On the first three floors there would be suites with two two-bedroom accomodations, each bedroom housing two students. Each would be outfitted with its own bathroom and a living room with a microwave and mini-fridge. You would have four students to a suite. Each floor would have kitchen facilities to be shared. The top floor would be for upperclassmen and would consist of two-bedroom apartments housing one student per bedroom. If any of you are familiar with Loyola-New Orleans, this idea comes from their Carrollton Hall. The new dorm would extend out towards Evangeline Hall, sealing in the nice quad they have in that section of student housing. I would also update the dorms in that area, implementing suite style housing where possible within the buildings shells. That area of campus has a lot of charm, but unfortunately UL ranks highly in the "dorms like dungeons" category and it appears the facilities need to be repaired, upgraded and modernized. I would also try to make the apartments, at least, co-ed in the same manner that Legacy is.

On the other side of campus, there are already plans to tear down the Cajun Village apartments and expand Legacy Park. Personally, it makes more sense to build a denser style of apartment style dorms. I would build one or two stories higher than legacy with apartments that are entered from an indoor hallway (as my suggestion for a new Buchannan Hall). This is much more appropriate for our landlocked university. It is important that we attract people to live on campus. It's convenient and it adds to the University community.

UL does not have the luxury that schools like LSU do. We're not a suburban school, we're downtown. Building Legacy Park style apartments is nice, but IMO is not a great use of space. More compact dorms would house more students and create a better on campus environment. One of the things UL has against it is that students are spread out across the city and really across the region. Many students live in apartments on the southside, on S. College and on Congress. Look at the new "Campus Edge" apartments. Eraste Landry is hardly on the campus' edge.

High quality on campus housing is extremely important in attracting high quality students. It's convenient, it's safer to parents and it would make UL less of a commuter school and more of a community.

Obviously this would take years and years to implement, but a master plan that seeks to work toward this goal could get the ball rolling.

Your thoughts?

[CrazyCajun]

they should buy every piece of crap house across university and flatten them. then build a bunch of apartment complexes evrywhere. that would provide plenty of housing and it would be right acroos the street.

[Doyle]

they should buy every piece of crap house across university and flatten them. then build a bunch of apartment complexes evrywhere. that would provide plenty of housing and it would be right acroos the street.

I'm right there with you CrazyCajun. Let's Demolition all those SH!+ SHACKS and make Campus a Better Place to be and live. Hey, I've got the equipment, just let me know when yall are ready.

[RaginFan2]

This might be playing fantasy university, but I think UL could have a great on campus situation with these changes:

They are going to tear down the Buchannan Dorm, what I would do in an expanded footprint of that building is to build a four story dorm with apartment style rooms. On the first three floors there would be suites with two two-bedroom accomodations, each bedroom housing two students. Each would be outfitted with its own bathroom and a living room with a microwave and mini-fridge. You would have four students to a suite. Each floor would have kitchen facilities to be shared. The top floor would be for upperclassmen and would consist of two-bedroom apartments housing one student per bedroom. If any of you are familiar with Loyola-New Orleans, this idea comes from their Carrollton Hall. The new dorm would extend out towards Evangeline Hall, sealing in the nice quad they have in that section of student housing. I would also update the dorms in that area, implementing suite style housing where possible within the buildings shells. That area of campus has a lot of charm, but unfortunately UL ranks highly in the "dorms like dungeons" category and it appears the facilities need to be repaired, upgraded and modernized. I would also try to make the apartments, at least, co-ed in the same manner that Legacy is.

On the other side of campus, there are already plans to tear down the Cajun Village apartments and expand Legacy Park. Personally, it makes more sense to build a denser style of apartment style dorms. I would build one or two stories higher than legacy with apartments that are entered from an indoor hallway (as my suggestion for a new Buchannan Hall). This is much more appropriate for our landlocked university. It is important that we attract people to live on campus. It's convenient and it adds to the University community.

UL does not have the luxury that schools like LSU do. We're not a suburban school, we're downtown. Building Legacy Park style apartments is nice, but IMO is not a great use of space. More compact dorms would house more students and create a better on campus environment. One of the things UL has against it is that students are spread out across the city and really across the region. Many students live in apartments on the southside, on S. College and on Congress. Look at the new "Campus Edge" apartments. Eraste Landry is hardly on the campus' edge.

High quality on campus housing is extremely important in attracting high quality students. It's convenient, it's safer to parents and it would make UL less of a commuter school and more of a community.

Obviously this would take years and years to implement, but a master plan that seeks to work toward this goal could get the ball rolling.

Your thoughts?

I'm right there with you! I have been saying there is an urgent need for more quality on-campus housing since the 70's. To me, that should be a top priority to the university.

[CajunAmos]

I know it would be more problematic getting to classes, but I've wondered if having housing closer to the athletic fields would help student game attendance. Just a thought.

[HelmutVII]

I'm right there with you CrazyCajun. Let's Demolition all those SH!+ SHACKS and make Campus a Better Place to be and live. Hey, I've got the equipment, just let me know when yall are ready.

Exactly what shacks are you talking about? Starting at Johnston Street there is Dominos Pizza, the Greek Store, The Protestant Student center, General Gardner Street, Villa Hernandez (Spanish style home with the blue tile roof), Gordon Street. a two story brick home built in the 1930's , a single story brick home built in 1941 (MY HOME!!!!!), a single story wood frame home built prior to 1921, a single story stucco residence designed by Hayes Town (former residence of his brother Harold Town), and older wood frame home and a parking lot. Lamar street, a barber shop, Galaghers, a conv. store a vacant lot and an older wood frame residence. McKinley street, an office, and two wood frame homes. There is already one 8 unit, one 4 unit and one 12 unit apartment building along Stevenson street between Gordon and Lamar.

[CrazyCajun]

Exactly what shacks are you talking about? Starting at Johnston Street there is Dominos Pizza, the Greek Store, The Protestant Student center, General Gardner Street, Villa Hernandez (Spanish style home with the blue tile roof), Gordon Street. a two story brick home built in the 1930's , a single story brick home built in 1941 (MY HOME!!!!!), a single story wood frame home built prior to 1921, a single story stucco residence designed by Hayes Town (former residence of his brother Harold Town), and older wood frame home and a parking lot. Lamar street, a barber shop, Galaghers, a conv. store a vacant lot and an older wood frame residence. McKinley street, an office, and two wood frame homes. There is already one 8 unit, one 4 unit and one 12 unit apartment building along Stevenson street between Gordon and Lamar.

all the shacks behind everything you just named. Half of those houses are crack houses and half the bars on the strip should be torn down as they are vacant. So pretty much the majority of the houses between jefferson and university. its all low income housing. there are not even hardly any students living in most of those house b/c they are so rundown. Also the apartments they have right now are run down and most are absolutely disgusting b/c they have been there since the university was built and their landlords do not put any money back into them. If you think those apts will attract out of town students your crazy. not to mention the often stabbings,shootings and robberies that occur all the time in that area. Those people need to be ran off,that area is so rundown it makes the university area just look bad.

[Cajun Power]

all the shacks behind everything you just named. Half of those houses are crack houses and half the bars on the strip should be torn down as they are vacant. So pretty much the majority of the houses between jefferson and university. its all low income housing. there are not even hardly any students living in most of those house b/c they are so rundown. Also the apartments they have right now are run down and most are absolutely disgusting b/c they have been there since the university was built and their landlords do not put any money back into them. If you think those apts will attract out of town students your crazy. not to mention the often stabbings,shootings and robberies that occur all the time in that area. Those people need to be ran off,that area is so rundown it makes the university area just look bad.

I live in that area, on Jefferson actually, and there are no crack houses between me and UL. Most of the housing you mention is student housing anyway.

[CrazyCajun]

I live in that area, on Jefferson actually, and there are no crack houses between me and UL. Most of the housing you mention is student housing anyway.

oh really i have been working on the strip for about six years now and i could show you plenty of crack houses, they usually don't do business during normal hours. crackheads tend to be late night people and most crack houses don't have a neon sign on the front door that says open. and just b/c you may be a student or your not a crackhead does notmean they don't exist in that area. My point being is that the property value of that area is being floored b/c of all the houses that are rundown. If you do own a house in that area you should be all for this as it would increase the property value by having nicer places to live. the otherside of jefferson is even worse. Drive down lamar street from university all the way to garfield, look left and right and tell me what you see! then do the same thing at 2 in the morning and tell what you see! street wandering people everywhere. at any given time you can find homeless people walking,begging or sleeping anywhere in that area. why do homeless people tend to stay in one area? DRUGS!

[HelmutVII]

oh really i have been working on the strip for about six years now and i could show you plenty of crack houses, they usually don't do business during normal hours. crackheads tend to be late night people and most crack houses don't have a neon sign on the front door that says open. and just b/c you may be a student or your not a crackhead does notmean they don't exist in that area. My point being is that the property value of that area is being floored b/c of all the houses that are rundown. If you do own a house in that area you should be all for this as it would increase the property value by having nicer places to live. the otherside of jefferson is even worse. Drive down lamar street from university all the way to garfield, look left and right and tell me what you see! then do the same thing at 2 in the morning and tell what you see! street wandering people everywhere. at any given time you can find homeless people walking,begging or sleeping anywhere in that area. why do homeless people tend to stay in one area? DRUGS!

Much of the area around the strip is in poor condition however, many of the people living in the area are indeed students. I am curious to see the impact of the new capstone appartments behind Lafayette Motors. The Freetown group fought that develoment to the very end. However, the correct decision was made. The property is zoned Industrial and apartments is an accepted use in a Industrial zoning. Their argument that they did not want apartments because it would destroy the character of the neigborhood just did not hold water. The UL Professor that had the Save Freetown BLOG must have been smoking some of the crack off of the street in the neigborhood because what he was describing did not match reality. Actually I would hope that it would change the character of the neighborhood. Although I don't think I would let my child live anywhere around there if I needed to find them a place to live.

I am also curious to see how the Apartments on Bertrand Drive succeed (or fail) catering to students. I read that they have a leasing office set up in Follet's Bookstore.

I know a parent that had a child in a dorm last year. He told me that the condition of the inside of the dorms is pathetic. No wonder the kids move out as soon as they can.

[Cajunbander]

Much of the area around the strip is in poor condition however, many of the people living in the area are indeed students. I am curious to see the impact of the new capstone appartments behind Lafayette Motors. The Freetown group fought that develoment to the very end. However, the correct decision was made. The property is zoned Industrial and apartments is an accepted use in a Industrial zoning. Their argument that they did not want apartments because it would destroy the character of the neigborhood just did not hold water. The UL Professor that had the Save Freetown BLOG must have been smoking some of the crack off of the street in the neigborhood because what he was describing did not match reality. Actually I would hope that it would change the character of the neighborhood. Although I don't think I would let my child live anywhere around there if I needed to find them a place to live.

I am also curious to see how the Apartments on Bertrand Drive succeed (or fail) catering to students. I read that they have a leasing office set up in Follet's Bookstore.

I know a parent that had a child in a dorm last year. He told me that the condition of the inside of the dorms is pathetic. No wonder the kids move out as soon as they can.

They're going to be huge.

Look at University House, the big yellow apartment complex across from Cajun Field. That's where I live. You have to put in an application to live there practically a year in advance. For around $400 a month, you get everything that you'd get at Legacy Park. Furthermore, the apartments are twice as big, carpeted, fully furnished (with brand new furniture coming next leasing period). Everything is included, water, high speed internet, cable, lights, sewage, theres a full size washer/dryer in each apartment, full size fridge you name it. Plus, they have things that Legacy Park wished it had. Carpet in every room including the halls and living room, rooms that are twice as big, full size beds.

Here's where UL messed up. Legacy Park is about what, $200 dollars a month more and you get less! The only thing Legacy has on UH is the proximity to campus, and private balconies (ours are more like porches going from the breezeway to our front door.

eCampusEdge is going to be even nicer, bigger rooms, more amenities, a shuttle from the complex to the campus, not Cajun Field (which is something I wish we had!) and their rent is going to only be slightly higher than ours, I think $439 a month, still cheaper than Legacy.

I agree with the fellow up there. Redo the neighborhoods around campus. While there at it, maybe they can add another parking tower. Like Tim Landry said, "UL was built with the assumption that the automobile would never catch on. There are approximately 12 parking spots for 15,000 (now more like 20,000) students and faculty." Parking and housing are two of UL's downfalls.

[Cajunbander]

I found a word for what we have around campus, "Student Ghettos". Read about them, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Student_ghetto

[CajunRebel]

They're going to be huge.

Look at University House, the big yellow apartment complex across from Cajun Field. That's where I live. You have to put in an application to live there practically a year in advance. For around $400 a month, you get everything that you'd get at Legacy Park. Furthermore, the apartments are twice as big, carpeted, fully furnished (with brand new furniture coming next leasing period). Everything is included, water, high speed internet, cable, lights, sewage, theres a full size washer/dryer in each apartment, full size fridge you name it. Plus, they have things that Legacy Park wished it had. Carpet in every room including the halls and living room, rooms that are twice as big, full size beds.

Here's where UL messed up. Legacy Park is about what, $200 dollars a month more and you get less! The only thing Legacy has on UH is the proximity to campus, and private balconies (ours are more like porches going from the breezeway to our front door.

eCampusEdge is going to be even nicer, bigger rooms, more amenities, a shuttle from the complex to the campus, not Cajun Field (which is something I wish we had!) and their rent is going to only be slightly higher than ours, I think $439 a month, still cheaper than Legacy.

I agree with the fellow up there. Redo the neighborhoods around campus. While there at it, maybe they can add another parking tower. Like Tim Landry said, "UL was built with the assumption that the automobile would never catch on. There are approximately 12 parking spots for 15,000 (now more like 20,000) students and faculty." Parking and housing are two of UL's downfalls.

I would like to see UL do something that resembles what has been done at river ranch with those large 5 story apartment/condos. You can really pack em in that way. Put them side by side and 5 stories high, then build a parking garage in the middle hidden from view. We can't build out anymore. We need to start building up. By tearing down Cajun Village and building up you can easily triple the number of apartments and triple the number of parking spaces.

Look at how much room is taken up by legacy park and Cajun Village
http://www.louisiana.edu/AboutUs/CampusMap.pdf

[RaginFan2]

I would like to see UL do something that resembles what has been done at river ranch with those large 5 story apartment/condos. You can really pack em in that way. Put them side by side and 5 stories high, then build a parking garage in the middle hidden from view. We can't build out anymore. We need to start building up. By tearing down Cajun Village and building up you can easily triple the number of apartments and triple the number of parking spaces.

Look at how much room is taken up by legacy park and Cajun Village
http://www.louisiana.edu/AboutUs/CampusMap.pdf

That little subdivision north of Rex between Lewis and St. Mary is prime real estate, too. It is a nice quiet enclave that most people overlook. It would've been nice if the university had started about 30 years ago quietly buying properties as they became available. I believe some of the profs live there.

[Cajunbander]

I would like to see UL do something that resembles what has been done at river ranch with those large 5 story apartment/condos. You can really pack em in that way. Put them side by side and 5 stories high, then build a parking garage in the middle hidden from view. We can't build out anymore. We need to start building up. By tearing down Cajun Village and building up you can easily triple the number of apartments and triple the number of parking spaces.

Look at how much room is taken up by legacy park and Cajun Village
http://www.louisiana.edu/AboutUs/CampusMap.pdf

I agree. I think UL and Lafayette both need to start building up and not out. Take for example New York and other big cities. Buildings that have a store or deli on the first floor, and then four or so floors of apartments.