The College has proposed building a three-story, 38,420 square-foot apartment style residence on Roger Hull Place and Park Place that will give students another residential housing option.
The 80-bed building will consist of fully furnished four-, three-and two-bedroom apartments. Each apartment has common living space (kitchen and living room), two bathrooms and closets.
Building features include a multi-purpose room, lounge, study room, meeting room and music room on the ground floor. There will also be a laundry room.
The total project cost is estimated at $9 million and will be paid through bonds issued by the College.
Construction is expected to begin this fall and completed in time for the 2015-16 academic year.
Sano-Rubin Construction Co. Inc. of Albany is the general contractor. The architecture firm is Envision Architects P.C., also of Albany.
The building will be designed to respect the scale of the neighborhood and maintain the architectural integrity of the surrounding properties.
Sustainable features include energy efficient heating and cooling systems, storm water management, a rain garden and the use of green building materials such as rock wool insulation. The building will be designed to LEED standards.
An interactive kiosk on the ground floor will allow residents to monitor how the building is functioning with the sustainable features.
The plan still needs the approval of Schenectady’s planning board and zoning board of appeals.
As a residential college, Union requires all students to live on campus for their entire time, space permitting. When space is unavailable, a lottery is held in the winter term for rising senior students wishing to be released from campus.
The number of students who will be released will drop with the addition of the new building.
“It has always been the College’s intent to be fully residential,” said Loren Rucinski, director of Facilities Services. “This project moves the College closer to that goal.”