NSU to overhaul dorms

Come August, Nicholls State University will begin selling off $50 million in bonds to fund one of its largest housing construction and renovation projects in 20 years.

“The 600-bed housing upgrade will benefit the students and the appearance of the campus,” said Mike Davis, assistant vice president for administration and physical plant operations.

Students residing on campus can expect a hike in room and board.

“This is a major project for us,” Davis said. “The room and board increase will still be competitive with other universities.”

The last constructed residential hall on Nicholls’ campus was completed in 1977.

“We are taking a giant leap into the future by improving the way of life for our students,” Davis added.

University president Dr. Stephen Hulbert agrees that the new dorms will improve the way of life for many of the students. He also said new and renovated housing can be a powerful tool when recruiting students.

“Students look for quality and modern housing when choosing a university to attend. And I want to show them that Nicholls is a comfortable place to live and learn,” he said.

By 2008, in-coming freshmen, transfers and upperclassmen will lavish in the luxury of three newly constructed residential halls and a convenience store, as well as two renovated dorms.

“Student lifestyles and needs have changed since our residential halls were built. Now, students have cellular phones and laptops computers, and are accustomed to privacy and fashionable décor,” Davis said.

The estimated cost of the three new buildings and convenience store is $20 million.

The construction plan also calls for the university to demolish four of its older dorms to make room for new ones. The dorms include Meade Hall (constructed in 1972), Long Hall (1967), Millet Hall (1965) and Zeringue Hall (1964).

North and South Babington halls, built in 1964 and 1965 respectively, will be closed. The direction of the housing complex is pending.

The university will renovate Ellender Hall (1968) and Calecas Hall, which was the last major housing construction on campus in 1977. These buildings currently have a total of 790 beds.

Ellender will be renovated to house 150 students instead of the current 307, with the remainder of the dormitory to be used as office space. Calecas will be renovated for over-flow housing only.

“The decrease in the number of beds is to simply improve the living conditions for the students. We are trying to give adequate space to each students,” Davis said.

The estimate demolition cost is $1.4 million, and the renovation is estimated to cost $2.5 million.

However, during the summer the living arrangement for the dorms will increase because of the summer camps that are held on Nicholls’ campus.

In the meantime, all the dorms except for Meade Hall will remain open at full capacity until the new dorms are constructed.

“We want to keep the number of beds open because we don’t want to run our students away,” Davis said.

Davis said the La Maison du Bayou apartments, a privately owned complex housed on Nicholls campus, will be under university management. Nicholls will purchase the apartments for a little more than $16 million.

Students will live freely, but they will continue to be a part of the university’s coordinated residential life program. As stated in the university housing guidelines only students that have attended Nicholls for two years or more will be allowed to apply for residency at the apartment complex.

Davis said private and semi-private suites will be available in the new units. Apartments will range from two bedroom to four bedroom units, at a monthly fee $511 per month for 12 months or $529 for nine months.

Davis said construction was to begin in July, but has been pushed back to early August. The estimated completion date for the housing upgrade is September 2008.

The state mandates that the university first receive approval from the Board of Supervisors, the Board of Regents, the Bond Commission, the Louisiana Community Development Authority, which issues the bonds, and Joint Legislative Committee prior to construction beginning.

“We have already received approval from the Board of Supervisors, the Board of Regents and the Bond Commission and Louisiana Community Development Authority. We have primary approval from the Joint Legislative Committee, we are waiting on the board’s final approval,” Davis said.

Nicholls expects final approval from the Joint Legislative Committee tomorrow.

According to Davis, it will take Nicholls approximately 32 years to pay off the $50 million bond that will be used to fund the project.

Currently, Nicholls is in the process of completing its cafeteria renovations. On the first day of fall semester the fall term, students will eat, drink and socialize in a state-of-the-art cafeteria. “I promise when you see it, it will knock your socks off,” Davis said.