UB opens first new campus housing in 25 years
Hadley Village, apartment-style complex on North Campus, will house 620 undergrads

By MARA McGINNIS
Reporter Assistant Editor

Hadley Village, the first new student housing built on the UB campus in 25 years and the university's first apartment-style housing for undergraduates, opened Aug. 17 with a ceremony at the complex on the North Campus.

Sen. Mary Lou Rath joins Assemblyman Paul Tokasz at the podium for the opening of Hadley Village, UB's first, new, on-campus student housing in 25 years. Rath and Tokasz co-sponsored the legislation that allowed for the construction of the housing complex on state land.

Hadley Village-13 three-story buildings and a community building on 11 professionally landscaped acres between Audubon Parkway and Hadley and Rensch roads on the west end of campus-is located within walking distance of the North Campus academic and student-services buildings. Each of the 13 buildings contains 12 four-bedroom apartments to house a total of 620 juniors and seniors.

"We are delighted to be opening this exciting new housing complex for our upper-level undergraduates," said President William R. Greiner. "Hadley Village is a vital cornerstone of our plans to build new housing for UB's students. We want to create a vibrant residential community-a true 'home away from home' for our students."

The opening of Hadley Village completes the second phase of a long-term plan to provide new housing for students and improve their quality of life.

The first phase was completed in Fall 1998 with the opening of Flickinger Court, townhouses for 230 graduate and professional students at Chestnut Ridge and Sweet Home roads adjacent to the North Campus. Ground was broken earlier this month for another apartment-style housing project-South Lake Village-a mix of studio and one-to-four-bedroom apartments on the south shore of Lake LaSalle that will house 550 undergraduates.

The housing plan also will involve the future conversion of Clement Hall into apartment-style housing and the renovation of Goodyear Hall, both residence halls on the South Campus.

"We look forward to additional success as the next phases get under way, including the South Lake Village project and the renovation of housing on the South Campus in conjunction with the University Community Initiative in University Heights," added Greiner.

According to Dennis Black, vice president for student affairs, positive student response to the project has been "overwhelming." He added that the complex was at full-occupancy long before a model apartment could be viewed by students.

"Student interest in the project has been tremendous right from the start," said Black, who explained that students were involved in the building design, as well as the furnishing discussions.

"The project gives upper-division undergraduate students a new and exciting living option," he added. "They can remain on-campus, with all of the campus con-veniences and opportunities, while residing in a more independent and private housing setting."

Each fully furnished apartment features a living/dining room, two full bathrooms and a kitchen. Other amenities include central air conditioning, a security intercom system, a dishwasher, garbage disposal, laundry facilities, a sheltered campus-shuttle stop and ample parking. Each student has his or her own individual UB computer data port, cable-television jack and separate phone line and number in his or her bedroom.

Also speaking at the program were Jeremy M. Jacobs, chair of the UB Council; Frank Ciminelli, a member of the Properties Committee of the University at Buffalo Foundation, Inc.; New York State Sen. Mary Lou Rath; New York State assemblymen Paul Tokasz and James Hayes; Nicole Piotrowski, president of the UB Student Association, and Thomas Trubiana, president of American Campus Communities, the Texas developer that designed and planned Hadley Village.

Rath and Tokasz co-sponsored the legislation that allowed for the construction of Hadley Village on state land.

Hadley Village was built by ADF Construction Corp. of Amherst.

Live images of Hadley Village are accessible via the UB Webcam at http://webcam.buffalo.edu. For more information about UB's residential student housing, go to http://www.ub-housing.buffalo.edu.